It's a Mad Universe- Remake
by Vixen1
Summary: In this remake of the original, Serena leaves home, cast aside by her scouts. Falling in and out of new (and more) dimensions, she meets new people, learns new tricks, and falls in love. *MANY ANIMES, GW/SM ROMANCE*
1. Gods, How Could They?

It's a Mad and Mixed Up Life We Lead 

*THIS IS THE **VERY** **REVISED** VERSION! Oh, and ages are mixed up, Serena is 10 when this starts

* I DO NOT BELIEVE IN DISCLAIMERS

Chapter One: Gods, How Could They? 

*Serena sighed contently. It was her eleventh birthday tomorrow, and she was hyped. Her friends were supposed to all meet at Rei's for a scout meeting tonight, but she had been so good about going and getting their on time in the last four months that she thought it wouldn't make much of a difference if she didn't show tonight. For her birthday, her parents were taking her and her brother to dinner, and she had to rush home to get ready. Pulling her honeysuckle blonde hair into her famous 'meatball' style, she fixed the silvery eye shadow above her azure eyes and straightened her white long sleeved top and pink bunny pants. Then she ran down the stairs and out the front door, to where her parents were waiting.

" Serena, honey, why are you wearing long sleeved shirt and long pants in eighty degree weather?" Asked her mom, Ilene Tsukino.

" Just because Mom." She answered, a little on the wary side " I was a little cold earlier, and beside mom, it's my birthday, and I thought I got to wear whatever I wanted." 

" All right dear, whatever you want." Her father backed the car out of the garage, her mother and brother, Sammy, got into the car. Serena waved them goodbye, yelling she'd see them at the restaurant. 

Though she was famished, she was also waiting for a call from her friends. She hoped they would return her call that she was going not going to the scout meeting tonight soon. As she watched her parents car turn out the driveway, she prayed for a happy night with plenty of luck. Her parents honked the car horn at the stop sign, and began rolling out into the intersection. They didn't see the huge truck with the laughing man speed through and break the driving laws. They never saw the huge semi truck coming, and never heard their own daughter scream as she saw them get smashed and thrown across the street like they were rag dolls.

As the cops finally began to tow away the wrecked car, Serena stood from where she had been sitting during the questioning of the accident. It seemed it had been a hit and run. The man in the truck went as unidentified, and the cops had promised to check every trucking company for a man that matched the driver's description. Serena hadn't listened to the empty promise, however. She knew who had done it. Thereon. That creep had gotten to her where he knew it would hurt the most, her family. She thought back to the day when she had made the slip up that had just cost three innocent people their lives.

)( 

Serena heaved and threw another round of scepter energy at the youma she had begun to call vamps. They sucked the lives out of people like vampire's suck blood from them. She had been fighting the vamps for nearly a full year now, every since right before Rini had showed up. She was slammed against a wall hard and then picked up and thrown into a trash dump. Where were the scouts during this fight? 

Oh yes, she had never told them of the newest addition to the monster gang. She didn't want to worry them about having to fight two sets of monsters at once, so she took Thereon and his snobs on alone. The only problem was that they were twice as powerful as any other youma they had ever fought, and she usually spent all her energy just getting rid of one of them, when usually two or more were sent at the same time. Today the monsters were especially tough, and as soon as Serena dusted them both, she de-transformed, completely spent of all energy. 

"So, looks like the little Moon Witch has an average identity after all. I could do so much with this knowledge." She heard a voice in the sky and cringed at how careless she had been. She had let the enemy see who she really was. " Don't worry, gorgeous, I won't hurt you, not yet. But stay away from other people, or you'll hurt them."

" Shut up Thereon, go back to the dog pound mutt!" With that, she ran off down the street and into the crowd.

)(

She hadn't seen Thereon since that day, nor had he sent any monsters. " Oh gods, oh, Selene, what have I done? I let Thereon destroy those I love the most. They died because of me and me carelessness. How could I?" As she was about to break down and cry, another officer came up to her and said:

" Miss. Tsukino, your father and brother have been taken to Tokyo General Hospital."

"Thank you. Wait, what about my mom?" She saw the look in his eyes was pure pity and felt her heart crack even more.

" I'm sorry, your mother was killed on impact."

Though she knew what had been coming, the words hit her like a ton of bricks. Her mother. Dead. The woman who had fed her as a baby, who had stopped her from crying, held her when she was sad, bandaged her knees when she fell. Her mother was gone forever, and no one would ever be able to replace her. She found she had nearly lost her voice to the frog that had suddenly appeared in her throat. " Thank you officer."

" I'm sorry. Good day."

Serena rushed to the hospital as fast as she could to see how her father and brother were. When she arrived, she found that nurses who wanted insurance information and other important medical records that only a family member could fill out the forms detained her again. Finally, she was told that her brother was in a coma, and that there was only minimal damage done to him in any other way. The worst thing was that the doctors said they didn't know when he would wake, or if he would at all. 

Serena's father was a different story. He had had bad internal bleeding, and the doctors had taken him into the ER immediately upon arrival. Serena sat outside the operating room waiting for confirmation that he would, indeed, live to see another day. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the doctors came out to explain the situation to Serena.

" The bleeding has stopped, and though he has lost a lot of blood, he should pull through. The problem is that he, too, is in a coma, and we are not yet sure when or if he'll wake up without brain damage." Suddenly, a doctor raced in to the waiting room and yelled:

"Doctor, we have a flat line in here!"

"Oh Christ…excuse me!" 

Serena watched through the open door as the doctors tried to revive her father from death. Then, a loud beeping noise pulled her out of her reverie and she pulled her wrist up to her face to respond to the call.

" Mars here…Moon, youma at the park, looks like Chaos is getting ready to have more fun hurting people. Get over here now!"

" But Mars, I have…"

" Now!"

" I'll be there as soon as I can!" Serena pushed the end button on the device and looked back into the operating room, whose door had conveniently been left wide open. Once again she had a choice. Stay with her father, whom she loved dearly and was dying? Or help her friends to once again kill and save the world? Which one? She looked at her father again and sat back down. 'I don't care if I'm selfish this time. I stay until here until he's out of ops. And that's that.'

Five minutes later, the doctors had a steady pulse and Serena was running down the streets, trying desperately to make the fight. Just as she got to the scene, she saw Jupiter and Mercury down; they were losing the fight badly. 

" So good of you to finally make an appearance, oh wonderful leader." Said Mars.

"Starlight Honey Kiss Therapy!" Was all Sailor Moon said in response to Rei's snotty comment. Within seconds, the youma had turned to dust, and Sailor Moon was helping Mercury up. " I'm sorry I was late, I was…"

"Save it Serena. We don't want to here it." Mina spat at her. " You've let us down for the last time, Serena."

"That's right. You're irresponsible and ditzy. You can't even be on time to school, let alone get decent grades." Ami added.

"Serena, you're a disappointment to the girls, and to me." Said Luna.

" It's time to admit it Serena, you're a lousy leader and a ditzy girl. You're not fit to be leader, let alone Queen of the Earth." Chimed in Lita.

"Serena, she's right. As of now, we're finished. It's over. I'll be King alone."

" Darien, you can't mean that! None of you can! You couldn't possibly be serious!" Serena cried in denial.

" But we do. Now, Serena, make it easy on yourself and hand over your position as leader to someone more deserving."

" Not you too, Michiru!"

"Yes, all of us agree." Serena took a deep breath hearing those words. Her only friends, the ones who were supposed to support her in times like this, were betraying her. Enough was enough.

" Fine." She blinked back tears and cleared her throat. "You know what? I quit! I never asked to be Sailor Moon, and now that I have accepted my position and do what I have to, you want to get rid of me? You think I'm weak and stupid? Slow and lazy? You're wrong!" Serena rolled up her sleeves and showed the scouts, her supposed best friends and boyfriend her secrets. 

" Even though I get cuts and bruises from tripping, you didn't actually think I got all of these from it, did you? You're wrong. These cuts and scars and bruises were done by my hard work while fighting youma that would make you run at first sight. You think you can deal with the Negaverse without me? Then try it. We'll see where it gets you. Here. You can have my position, as well as anything else. You might as well just take my broken heart while you're at it, you traitors." With that, the last whole pieces of Serena Usagi Tsukino's heart shattered as she began to run from her past, her problems, and her destiny.

Serena's feet took her to her home, a place that she nearly cried at the sight of. There was no more home. Home was where the heart was, and there was no heart in the house anymore. It seemed so empty to Serena, so big and cold. She trudged up to her room and shut the door. She looked around her room. It was so bright and pink 'just like a baby's room should be…covered with baby bunny wallpaper and baby bunny bed spreads, pink carpet and finger paintings.' All showed Serena the baby. None showed Serena the lost girl, nearly a grown up five years to early. ' I want to leave this place. I want to go far away and never have to think or choose or reason between family and friends and life ever again. I want to just leave.' She thought to herself.

She placed her communicator and her star locket next to each other on her dresser, and placed the Silver Crystal on the belt at her waist. Then, only grabbing a jacket, she left, heading towards the hospital to say her goodbyes to what was left of her family.

" Please, may I see them just for five minutes?"

" No, visiting hours are over little girl, go home and come back tomorrow." Said the nurse at the front desk.

" Alright." Serena muttered, without any intention of leaving. As soon as the nurse turned her head down, she snuck right by her and into her father and brother's room. 

" I'm sorry daddy. I never meant to hurt you, please forgive me. Daddy, when you wake up, and I know you will, I won't be here. I'll be gone. But I'll come back one day. I promise. I love you. You too, Sammy, I'll be back to check up on you one day, spore. I love you both so much, please be careful, goodbye." With that, Serena turned and walked out the door, with the full intention of never returning. 

She walked to the park slowly, taking her time to savor the beauty that she would no longer see after this night. This was it, no turning back now. Stopping, she pulled out a long and gleaming blade from her backpack. 'Finally, all my pain will be over.'

Serena raised the knife to her left wrist, and gently slit it, drawing out thick, red blood. As she repeated the action with her other wrist, she felt lighter already, as if she had already lost all of her worries and responsibilities…it was over, she could finally lay to rest peacefully-or so she thought

In the trees above, a shadowy figure watched on, half smirking, half serious. "Not yet, little angel, it's not your time yet." the mocking voice echoed through the silence of the park. As he spoke, he raised his hand and created a whirlpool of color. He jumped down from the tree and carefully lifted the unconscious girl into to warp, then closed it behind her as she tumbled down, to her new destiny.*


	2. Losing to Change

Chapter Two: Losing to Change 

*Everything was so blurry, everything was so, so, strange. "Am I dead?" Serena managed to croak out.

" No, fortunately, your not. You gave me quite a scare, though. For a while, I wasn't sure you'd make it. How do you feel?" 

Serena turned to face a man-child with full interest. As she sized him up, he appeared to be doing the same. He had a light lavender hair color, and purplish blue eyes set in a well -defined, hard face that seemed to instantly soften when he smiled at her. As she looked over the rest of him, she decided she was most definitely alive, but farther from Kansas than she had ever thought possible. He was huge, with well-toned muscles and had a sword strapped to his back. What made him so odd was that he was floating in mid-air next to her.

" How do I feel?" She asked herself aloud. Then, she thought 'I feel like a beaten, unwanted old hag. That's how I feel. But I can't very well say that out loud, now can I?' " I feel alright. What happened? Where am I, and who are you?"

The boy had been waiting for her to ask that, after all, it wasn't every day that he found a beautiful woman washed up in the river, half drowned and saved her life. " My name is Mirai Trunks Briefs. I found you on the bank of the river knocked out and I brought you here, to you here to my home. You have some pretty nasty cuts up and down your arms, what happened to you?"

" What happened?" Serena flashed back through all her memories of Thereon, her family, her friends, and finally trying to end her life. But she wouldn't tell him that. No, he would never know. " Nothing, I just fell of the cliff."

" You fell. Off the cliff. Are you serious?" He had seen her wrists, he knew that there was more to it than there appeared, but he wasn't going to embarrass her by saying so.

" I was sitting on the end and the rocks gave way. I wasn't close enough to the solid ground to grab on, so I was pulled into the river and swept away." She lied through her teeth.

" Hmm. If those rocks are that unstable, I should get Trunks, Goten and Gohan and go out there and take care of that before anyone else gets hurt. Well, no harm done that can't be fixed. Here, eat this. All your cuts and bruises will be healed soon." Trunks said, carefully giving the new girl half of a senzu seed.

Mirai Trunks stood in wonder at the tiny girl that was before him. She was absolutely breathtaking. She had eyes like he'd never seen, he didn't even think that her eye color had existed before she had opened her eyes to him. As he went down her, the more perfect she got. Full, pinkish lips, long neck, all the right curves, and great legs that seemed endless, when in fact, that girl couldn't be more than 5'3" in height. He thought she was a goddess, and her voice sounded like silver bells that chimed lightly but with grace and ease. 'I wonder what she thinks of me. She has an extremely low ki, but she seems completely healthy. I wonder why she is here. I wonder if she'll go out with me.'

" Um, Mirai Trunks, there's a man in the doorway that has been calling your name for the last two minutes now. He looks really mad." Trunks turned to the door and saw his 'father' Vegita standing there, looking like he was in a fairly good mood.

" Oh, that's my father, Vegeta. He's not mad. If he was, he would have punched me by now. What now Vegeta?"

" Boy! We were supposed to begin sparing five minutes ago. Stupid idiot! Let's go!"

" Not now Vegeta. Go find Piccalo and spare with him. I have to take care of this girl right now."

" Boy how dare you…" 

"Vegeta! Just what do you think you are doing? If you want to spare, go find someone else! Can't you see Mirai is busy?"

" Woman! Why must you be such a pain! He is my boy and I will tell him what to do and what not to do and right now, he's going to spare with me, like it or not!"

" Vegeta! If you lay one hand on my son I swear to Kami I will make you sleep on the couch for a week! And no food cooked for you either!

Serena watched the entire scene unfold and almost started laughing. It was like her and Rei. Then that memory brought on sharp, painful memories and tears began to silently run down her cheeks. Of course, the harpy of a woman in the doorway saw this and made a beeline for the crying girl instantly.

" Oh you poor baby! We didn't mean to upset you with our fight, honestly. Right Veggie –Chan?" She said with a warning tone in her voice. 

"mmbmbm" Was heard from across the room.

" What was that Veggie-Chan?"

" Sorry girl." He said with an annoyed look on his furrowed face.

" Now now, you boys go spar. I'll take care of this poor girl right now. This is a job for a woman anyway."

" But mom…" Mirai wanted desperately to stay with this strange girl.

" No buts. Go on, get out." With that, she slammed the door in both the boy's faces and went back to attending to the new girl, who was still crying. "There there, sweetheart. My name is Bulma, Mirai Trunk's mother. Now then. Tell me what's wrong."

Serena looked into the woman's eyes and knew she could trust her with most of her story. She began to tell of how her family had been so viciously attacked and how her friends had betrayed her, and how she had nearly ended her life. By the time she was finished, she had stopped crying and was giving Bulma the handkerchief Mirai Trunks had given her. 

" That's probably the saddest story I've ever heard. You poor thing. You're welcome to stay here as long as you would like, I'm sure no one would mind, and we have plenty of space here at Capsule Corps., and I know someone who could help you do better in school, no matter how bad you were in the past."

" Do you really think that I could stay here."

" I do or I wouldn't have said so." For a brief minute, Serena was ready to kiss the woman that she had only met two hours ago. Instead, she hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear : 

" Thank you."

" No problem. Come on, Let's get you cleaned up, your clothes are a wreck!"

"Thank you so much, I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you for what you're doing for me."

"You can stop worrying so much dear. Trunks and I will take care of you." Serena blushed. Bulma laughed, but said nothing in response.

)( 

Serena snuck quietly down the corridor of Capsule Corps. If Bulma ever found out what she had been doing, She would be dead. It had all started six months ago when she had wanted to learn how to wield Mirai Trunk's sword.

While he was in the shower, she had snuck into his room, grabbed the sword, and made a run for the library, where she knew no one at Capsule would be caught dead. She unsheathed the sword and swung it a few times, both surprised at the weight, and at the fact that she could swing it decently in one direction or the other without difficulty at all. Then Trunks had come in.

"Not bad. You need to loosen your grip though, otherwise the sword won't go the direction you want it to, and it will just be a blade with an owner who doesn't understand how to use it."

Sai dropped the sword at the sound of the voice. Mirai Trunks had caught her.

" I'm sorry, I just wanted to see if I could." 

" It's alright. If you want, instead of sneaking around, I'll give you lessons in here every night at nine. Then you don't have to worry about it cutting into your study time, and no one would have to know."

" Really? Thanks!" Since she had come to live with everyone at Capsule, instead of having Mirai continuously hit on her, she told him flat out no and never. Ever since then, they had become good friends. After only two months with Mirai, Sai had perfected her swordsmanship to a T, not even Mirai could best her in a sword fight. Then, one night, Vegita caught them sparing and decided it was time to give Sai her new lessons.

Ever since that night, during the time she used to spend with Mirai, she learned to punch, kick, run, jump, and do practically everything, including throwing ki blasts of energy. The only thing she stubbornly refused to do was learn to levitate and fly. She felt it would be a fair unfair advantage, and though Vegeta tried to pressure her into it, she stood her ground and told him no. Instead, Gohan taught her to use Nimbus, the flying cloud. This suited her much better. Ever since then, fighting and studying had been her only loves.

" Sai! Freeze! I knew it! I knew you were up to something. Come on now, spill it. What have you been doing this late at night. Come on now, out with it!"

" Well, remember how I aced the SAT's? At least it hasn't affected me scholastically." 'That and Gohan's tutoring anyway' "And I'm always on time to the lab with you for my engineering lesson, so it hasn't affected me in that either. So it really doesn't matter what I'm doing because it hasn't…"

" Now."

" I've been learning to spar with Mirai and Vegeta."

" What? Serena Usagi Tsukino! You can't be serious!"

" Yes Bulma, I am. And please, do not call me that. Remember when I decided that that was a lifetime ago and that I'm a different person now? I changed my name to forget all that my old life had handed me. My name is now Sai, not Serena. And Bulma, I'm not an innocent little girl. Trust me, I'm not. I enjoy sparing."

" Sai… your voice… it was, so, cold, unfeeling. I'm sorry, I was just worried about you. It seems that ever since you change your name, you've been forgetting the nice, sweet person Serena was and becoming more and more like Mirai was when he first came here. You used to trust everything so easily, now you barely trust me enough to let me teach you your course in engineering. I'm afraid you're forgetting who you really are, shutting yourself in like this can't be healthy. I'm sorry for caring." 

With that, Sai watched as Bulma walked away, and as she did, the last that was left of sweet Serena disappeared beneath the cold, ruthlessness of Sai.

The next day, Sai went to the lab as usual for her lessons, but nothing was usual. She and Bulma began to grow apart, and soon they only spoke when necessary. Sai had easily passed high school with flying colors from the help of the noted scholar and Briefs family friend Son Gohan. She had originally asked Bulma to teach her how Dinocaps worked. This and that led into Sai wishing to know more about engineering, and at first Bulma was happy to comply. 

However, after the night in the hallway, she and Bulma had avoided each other and soon, Sai found the need to escape the confines of Capsule Corps. was necessary. Only two short years since she had arrived, The Z Gang showed up to wish their newest and youngest member goodbye. The Sai that was leaving them was not, however, the lovely, happy teen that had come to them as Serena.

She had learned that with a Dinocap, she could alter her appearance, and had chosen to do so before leaving. Instead of long blonde hair in two buns, she had long black hair in one bun. Her eyes that were once a brilliant blue, were now tinted purple to give her a darker look. Instead of being short and fragile looking, she had made herself look taller by four inches. Her thin arms, that even despite her training had remained thin, had grown fatter with muscle. Her clothes had gone from school girl to fighter style with a sick twist, for she was dressed in an all black jump suit trimmed with silver and topped off with black combat boots, and had her sword perched atop her back. 

As she waved goodbye, she gave a slight nod to Bulma. Though they had become so wary of each other, they knew deep down, they would never completely be devoid of feelings for each other. With that, Sai called upon Nimbus and began flying away from her problems for the second time in her life, and certainly not the last.

Feeling the wind rushed over and around her, she spied a funny colored spot in the clouds. Turning Nimbus, she headed towards the spot. As she drew nearer, she could see it was a multicolored hole in the middle of the sky; and the closer she flew, the harder it was to resist the pull of the strange hole. Sai finally got too close, and with that, she was sucked into the anomaly and was thrown hard into a room she'd never seen the likes of.*


	3. Seeds of War

Chapter Three: Seeds of War 

*Serena woke some number of minutes later. As she looked around the room where she was, she discovered it was not the same room she had been in when she and Nimbus had been swept through the rip in the space continuum. This room was much the same as the first, but there were no decorations, and certainly no giant… well…whatever they had been, there weren't any of them in this room. 'This is a prison cell. I wonder why I was put in a prison cell?' thought Sai as she looked around the room. She noted the five men sitting across from her, none of which looked overly concerned for her well being, but more concerned over the booms and lights that were sounding behind the door and under the walls. She took a deep breath and nearly gagged. There was hardly any air in the room. As the booms got closer, she stood and took a good look at the one man who was finally coming towards her. 

" My dear girl, why were you in the middle of the docking bay repair room?" He asked her with both slight amazement and annoyment in his old rusty voice.

" I just was. Where am I now old man?" 'And you had better give me a reason too.'

" You're in the prisons of the Lunar Base. Apparently, they stuck you in with us because they thought you were working with us. Those fools, they never get anything right."

" Lunar Base… I'm on the moon? And they thought I was working with you? What sorts of business do you old men run? Maybe I want to join you after all." Sai smirked slightly. " Then again, after I kill these bastards for imprisoning me, I might just kill you all too, seeing as how I just have had a very bad day."

"Hmm, J, she sounds like one of our boys. She could be useful in a number of ways if we were ever to…"Spoke on of the other old men sitting in the room.

" I'll decide if I want to help you or not, I don't need a grandfather giving me orders on how to run my life." Sai was almost intrigued by these old coots. Maybe they were just plain crazy, or maybe there really was something worth getting involved in here.

" Yes, I do see you point, Professor O, but we must first get out before we do anything of that nature."

Sai had heard enough. Just as she was about to offer to help the old men get out of the cell, the door opened and though there were men in uniforms running all around, no one cared enough to do anything about the prison doors opening. " Tell you what old man: I'll get you out alive, and I want details on the battle that's raging outside."

" Details? For those you would have to work for us and only us. Specifically, work for me. That includes letting this 'grandfather' run your life for a while." 

Sai thought for a few moments, weighing all of the consequences. 'Well, I did say I wanted adventure and fighting. And this will keep my mind off of leaving Capsule…' " Old man, you have yourself a deal. I'm yours, but remember, I want details once we're home free of this base. And if I don't agree with your 'moral' fight, I'll just kill you instead of working for you. Is that a chance your willing to take?"

" So be it." 

" Alright listen up. Though the door is open, we're leaving through the ducts above your head. You will wait here until I return to get you out of here."

" Where will you be?" 

" I'm going to one, get my belongings from these bastards, and two, I may just stop to check their computer data banks. Have any place in mind for where we'll be headed when we leave?"

" Not anywhere on Earth. We would be content just to drift in space for a while. How long will all of this activity take you? Two hours? Three? Four maybe?"

" I'll be back in forty five minutes old man, count on it."

" Well, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but I don't think even the Perfect Soldier could do it that fast. Hour at best for him."

" Well, I'm not the Perfect Soldier. I'm the perfect killer. Ciao."

" You know she'll never make it, why did you let her leave. She'll probably be shot within twenty minutes out there."

" Maybe. But maybe not. She has a great deal of inner drive- that much passion is bound to be of help in one way or another."

Sai ran through the halls. She had to continuously shoot ki blasts at soldiers who interpreted her as an intruder. ' That's what I am though' she thought ' an intruder and a murderer. Oh well, they did knock me out after all.' 

She opened a door and was happy to find her sword in it's natural pristine condition and her bag of Dinocaps that she and Bulma had made for her trip away from home. She walked over to the computer and took out one of her capsules. Pushing the pin and dropping it to the ground, a laptop computer appeared from the capsule. After some intense hacking, Sai made it into the mainframe of the base and quickly downloaded over half the information before she was rudely interrupted. A strong shock wave shook her off balance, and she saw that the computer systems had been severed by the damage caused.

" Damn. Well, I got half. Time to get moving." She recapsulized the computer and placed it back in the small leather bag that she knotted at her waist. Once again shooting at soldiers who were in her way, she made it back to the old men in the prison cell, who seemed more than mildly shocked to see her, right on time no less. 

"Let's move it, its hell out there and getting worse." She shoved the men up the air vent in the roof of the room and had them crawl straight toward one of the hangers she had seen a diagram of. As they stepped out of the ventilator shaft, She looked up in amazement as she once again saw the giant metal things that were one by one standing up and exiting the hanger door. 

" They're just mobile dolls. Nothing else special. Why must you stare at them like you've never seen one in your life?"

"Well, maybe because I haven't. Never mind, we don't have time to mess around with these things." She ran over to a normal looking shuttle and jumped aboard. Seeing that there was plenty of room for her needs, she jumped back down and started putting the old men on the ship. Suddenly from behind, she felt a searing pain go through her side. She turned her head and shot the soldier.

Then she swerved around fully and stared at the soldier. It was a young boy who had shot her, and then stood there looking at his hand, then her, and that was now slumped to the ground. ' He was innocent. Sure he shot me, but I was probably the first person he ever shot. I'm a murderer now. Selene, I've killed an innocent boy.' A sharp pain brought her back form her reverie of self-pity. She brought her hand to her side and then up to her face. It was covered in red, sticky blood. As she looked at her hand, her eyes that had been light lavender while thinking about the boy she had killed, became a royal violet. Her face hardened and she ignored the pain and jumped aboard the shuttle.

" Let's go. She said, quietly and coldly. As she went into the cockpit, she recognized the basics in aerospace that Bulma had taught her to look for, and was able to easily ignite the engine and then avoid being hit while zooming out into space.

As soon as she thought they were safe, she went into the passenger section of the shuttle and sat in front of the old man whom with she had made the deal while on the base. " Details old man."

" You've been shot my dear, and you can call me Doctor J. Allow one of the others to look at that wound, it looks quite painful."

"Look, Doc J, I could care less about the shot wound. What I could care about is why I got shot saving your asses in there. She met his eyes in a stare. 

" Yes," he finally said, breaking the staring contest. " I'll tell you all about Operation Meteor and why we are not following it as planned. But while I do, please allow Doctor G to look at your wounds."

" Fine then. Start."

" Operation Meteor was created by a man known as Dekiem. He wanted to rule the world in a different military fashion than it was being lead today. You see, the Alliance from the old days has now become to crushing on the colonies in space, too wary of what they will do if they are allowed too much access to things. Dekiem has created a small army, and all of us doctors were a part of it.

" But when we saw he was planning to destroy Earth by crashing the colonies into it, we split from the original plans. True, we still did what we were supposed to do; create giant killing machines, much more advanced than the ones you saw in the hanger this morning, and train five boys to with stand the pressure and stress that came with the job of piloting. In fact, Each of us built a machine separately, and each of us trained our own pilot for our specific machine. Then, instead of waiting and letting Dekiem use our boys and machines for his purposes, we sent them to Earth, pretending they stole our machines, Gundams we called them. On Earth, a new power was rising. And now, instead of Dekiem who was going to challenge Earth, it is the organization on Earth called OZ that has. They want to both destroy Earth's old government, and take over control in space as well. Few people fight against both those sides, both the Alliance and OZ, but those who do are known as the rebels, and our pilots are some of the most highly feared rebels around. They are known as the Gundam Pilots."

"Don't forget to tell her what a mobile suit is. It seemed like she didn't know earlier." Some one spoke in the background.

" Yes. A mobile suit is a giant robot a person can sit in to fight with. It is often equipped with many guns and weapons."

" All of this sounds interesting. I think it would be interesting to join this war, and on the side of the rebels too. I never much cared for people who tried to control you too much."

"To let you partake of the war, you would have to be a highly skilled fighter and learn to pilot a mobile suit."

" I am a highly skilled fighter. Hand to hand, swords, guns, you name it, and I've learned. As for piloting, I know the basics in avionics, but nothing about mobile suits. You'll just have to teach me. I don't want to pilot anything fancy, none of those Gundams you designed will be necessary, but one of what I saw in the hanger should work just fine."

" Are you sure?"

" Positive."*


	4. Who or What Was That?

Chapter Four: Who or What Was That? 

*"Alright, that was definitely not what I was expecting to find." The boy with purplish eyes and long brown braid sighed to himself as he looked in the door or the Libra's main prison cell. Staring back at him were the five men who had started his whole career as Duo, the God of Death. He looked them over and saw no physical injuries, instead each with a smug grin across their faces, like cats that knew a big secret. " So, what do you all know that makes you smile in the middle of a massacre?"

" Duo. You've made it this far. I expect then, that you'll help us out of here so that we may accomplish what we need to do?"

" Do I have a choice in the matter?" 

" Not really. Sai is too busy, as is Hiiro. Besides. Hiiro would have already killed us. We don't want to take that chance, now do we?"

" Huh? Oh, right. Okay, let's go."

)(

"Damn you Treize!" Shouted the boy in the green and white suit when he saw that Treiz Kushrenada was dead. He looked up at his old enemy and a single tear fell. Then, he saw the buster rifle from Wing Zero being picked up. The odd thing was that though he saw the buster rifle moving, he could not place how it was doing so, for there was seemingly no one holding it, and it certainly could not move on it's own. 

" Quatre, Trowa, Duo, do you read?" Three screens appeared on his. 

" I'm here Wufei, what's wrong?" Asked the blonde.

"What is Hiiro's buster rifle doing?"

" Huh?" Asked the brown haired one known as Trowa.

" Yeah, I second that huh? Have you lost it or what Wu-man?"

" Maxwell… Damnit…look at the … wait, there it goes!" All four pairs of eyes followed the buster rifle as it began to float on its own. Then something behind it ignited an engine and started towards the section of Libra that was still falling towards Earth. A voice came in over all lines, even the secure ones, and rang out in the ears of the pilots, confusing them even more.

"Behind you, pilots. As for you, here Wing Zero, I think you could use this." The buster rifle fell to Wing Zero, and as suddenly as the voice had appeared, it was gone, with no traces of where it had come from.

"What does that mean, behind you? Does he mean behind us?" Asked the blonde.

" I don't know Quatre, but we're gonna…watch it Wufei!" Just before a mobile doll was able to hit Wufei from behind, it was destroyed. 

" Who? What?" 

" I don't know, but whoever it was over the air waves was right. Look, there's a whole section or mobile dolls that haven't been stopped!" Cried Quatre.

" Someone is fighting them already, but I don't see anyone." Added in Trowa.

" Well, then, looks like this is a job for the God of Death! Here I go!" And with that, the pilots charged into the fray.

Slicing and dicing the mobile dolls like they were a piece of meat to be carved for the dinner table was becoming harder for Sai. She had done her job and given Hiiro the buster rifle, but she was still having trouble handling a mobile suit. In her all black Taurus, the mobile suits could still track her once they locked onto her heat. Just as she stabbed one through the gut of it's metal stomach, another one slashed down on her from above. Just as it was about to destroy her, it was cut at from the side. 

Breathing a huge sigh of relief, she looked at the Gundam that had saved her life. She saw Wing Zero next to her, and just now joining him were the other four. Sai turned and looked at the coordinates of where Earth should be. There was still an Earth to look at. Mission complete. 

The pilot of Wing Zero stared at the all black Taurus, the one he had just saved from total destruction. He saw it turn to check on Earth. Yes, he had done it. And to think he had nearly failed. But he hadn't. Suddenly a thought came to him. Earlier…

)(**__**

Hiiro had just finished with Zechs, and needed to destroy the block of Libra before it crashed into Earth. The only option he had it this point was to self-detonate next to the block and hope that it would be partially destroyed so that damage to Earth was minimal. Just then, out of no where a voice filled his cockpit: "Behind you, pilots. As for you, here Wing Zero, I think you could use this." Then his buster rifle fell into his hands, and he had a new option that did not include taking his life. He knew he would survive, just as Earth. 

When he had finished with the Libra block, he saw his comrades still battling left over dolls. A dark blur was quickly taking out the far right side, while the others were concentrated on the left and in the center. He saw the doll sneak up on the all black suit, and decided he would help.

)(**__**

This black suit that he had saved must have been the one to give him is buster rifle. The pilot had saved his life, and now his debt was repaid. As he stared at the new suit, he saw that it was in bad shape, and wondered if the pilot was alive anyway.

" Hey Hiiro!" He heard a voice call out. Though the Perfect Soldier would not admit it, it was great to here the vice of his fellow pilots.

" Hello Duo." He decided to answer.

" Let's get back to Peacemillion, we can discuss things there." Said the ever steady Trowa.

" Right." He replied. 

" Hey, Hiiro, invite the mystery pilot too! Hey! Where'd he go?"

Duo was right. In place of the beaten and black suit was nothing but empty space. He was gone. 'Guess he wasn't dead after all.'**__**

Back on Peacemillion's beaten ship, the pilots were celebrating. Duo had managed to find some champagne, though it was definitely not a non-alcoholic drink. Somewhere in the middle of the battle, the crazy doctors had gone missing, and no one had remembered to worry about them. Instead, their minds were focused on much happier thoughts. 

"So then, the war is over?"

" Yes woman, the war is over."

" It's Sally, Wufei."

"Yeah Wu-man, get the girl's name right, otherwise you'll confuse Hilde, Relena, Noin, and Catherine with whose name 'woman' is."

" Maxwell! Damnit! I'm going to chop off that braid of yours you idiot!" With that, Wufei took off after Duo, and after them went Hilde and Sally to try to break up the fight. 

" It's amazing that even though peace has been achieved, those two still fight."

" Miss. Relena, we should go to bed. It's too late to start preaching about peace now."

"Yes, you're right Noin. Good night everyone. Catherine if you want, we'll show you to a room now too."

" Sure. Coming Trowa?"

" Sure Cathy." As the two exited the room, a doctor came in and told the remaining Hiiro that Quatre was just fine, and that Dorothy Catalonia was here and wanted to know if she could speak to Quatre. After Hiiro gave his consent and the doctor left, he sat facing the window into space. 

Space was empty, quiet, and filled with scorched debris that floated by the window every so often. Hiiro sat and thought of the war. How it started, his battles with Zechs, his problems with Relena, and the end of the war. He wondered if Zechs was really dead, and where Treiz had gone, heaven or hell.

Then he thought about the black Taurus he had saved and wondered if the pilot was somewhere still out in space. He thought of the Doctors, all in the rooms on Peacemillion asleep. They had been the catalysts to the Gundam Pilots. He wondered if there was anyone else that thought about these things, or if he was alone in thought.

Sai sat in her mobile suit on the moon. She was cold and hungry, tired and injured. Profusely bleeding from her arm and side, she barely had enough strength to contact Doctor J to tell him where to pick her up. Then she sat and thought of the war. How Doc J had trained her, how she had had problems piloting mobile suits, how 01 had saved her life, how she missed her family. She wondered if she was alone in thinking on the night that the war ended.

"Sai, there you are! We've been looking all over for you!" J's face popped up on her screen.

"The war is over Doc J. Are the pilots going to be continuing their work for you?"

"Perhaps. Will you? Never mind, this is a discussion for another time… What is that?" Sai's eyes narrowed. In front of them was the same multicolored rift that had sucked her into this place. Was it a sign? It was time for Sai to move on.

"No J. I won't be helping you for a while." She answered.

"What? Why not? Sai?"

"I came through that, and now it's telling me it's time to go again. Maybe I'll return one day J. Till then, take care." She nodded to him. Her words fell on deaf ears as he tried to convince her otherwise. But t was too late. She pulled on her helmet and opened the hatch to her mobile suit. Pushing her self as hard as she could, she allowed the strong gravitational pull to suck her through once more. Who knew where she would land next? *


	5. Bounty Paper Towels

Chapter Five: Bounty Paper Towels

*This time the landing was slightly more tolerable. Now that Sai knew what to expect from the strange anomaly, she also knew that when she landed, she would have to begin all over, with new and unusual people in a new and unusual land. Not that she minded. It was almost a welcomed change, to be able to start over anywhere she wanted. Finally, she could see land in sight. She braced her self for a long, hard fall. 

Suddenly she wished more than anything she had allowed Vegita to teach her to fly. No, stop. She wasn't going to allow herself to get sucked into regrets about the past. If she did, she wouldn't be able to concentrate and prepare herself to take the fall with grace. Still… wait. She wondered…

"Nimbus!" Closing her eyes, she knew already that had been a waste. The cloud was from the other Earth, and it wouldn't work in this place… Something soft came up below her. She peeked, then opened her eyes fully. No, she was seeing things! The cloud was actually beneath her, suspending her in mid air. Well, this certainly was a pleasant turn of events. She let the cloud lower her to the ground slowly, and then hopped off and sent it on its way. Looking around, she knew she wasn't in Kansas anymore.

All around her the sky was reddish orange, not blue, as it should be. There were hovercrafts making their way swiftly through the air, and people were milling around everywhere. Finally, she got so fed up trying to simply figure out where she was that she asked someone. 

"I'll tell you for a thousand woolongs!" The man laughed hard.

"I don't have any money." She shrugged angrily.

"Then tough. Hard to believe some people these days. They think just because they're on Mars and not Earth people will be nicer. Idiots, the lot of them." As he left, her jaw dropped in awe. Mars! Then she remembered her supposed attitude and put her poker face back on. But Mars! People in this world had already colonized the planets. That in it's self was a miracle to her. Suddenly, a large fight broke out right in front of her. 

Two large men began to duke it out right in the middle of the street. A small circle gathered around to watch the fight, but the majority of the people simply passed on without acknowledging it. Sai joined the circle to find out what the fight was over. But it was past that point. Now all the men cared about was winning, not the real reason they had been fighting. 

As she watched, she critiqued their pitiful moves. No style, no sense of grace, and they weren't in tune with their movements in the least. In her trained fighter's eyes, it was a klutz attack.

"Enough." One man swore, and pulled a gun. Within seconds, the second man was dead. The crowd simply dispersed, as if the fight was nothing. She stood, silent. Where were the police? Was there no justice in this colony? Then she heard the sirens. But they were just too late. So much for the system. Slightly cross that a man had died for nothing, she stalked off across the street, where she could sit at a café and watch the cops work without being in their way.

"Order?" An older waitress approached her.

"Nothing."

"Order something or get out."

"All I have to pay with are American dollars." She answered.

"What kind of money is that?"

"The kind I have. Take it or leave it."

"Hold on a second. Let me talk to my boss." The waitress disappeared. As Sai sat watching the crime scene, she overheard two men talking behind her.

"So the one who pulled the gun was a member of the Syndicate"

"Yes sir. I wonder how that new leader of theirs, Vicious, will handle this." The first man snorted.

"Probably murder whom ever tries to investigate him. And the guy who shot that poor sap over there too. You see, Vicious can't leave anything like this on the Syndicate's records if he wants that crime ring to keep thriving like it has."

"Yeah. Or maybe he'll put a bounty on the guy, you know, make it look like he wants to help the cops."

"That's a good possibility too." As Sai listened, she gathered facts. One, that the cops didn't have a very high level of respect from the public. Two, there was a huge crime gang called the Syndicate that was headed up by a man named Vicious. And three, a bounty? She vaguely remembered hearing the term, but couldn't quite remember what it meant.

"Hey girly! The boss says he can take thirty dollars worth of your money to pay for food for you." Sai looked this woman over. Something was wrong with this. There was no way the exchange rate could be that high for American money. 

"May I speak to your manager please?"

"Yeah, I'll… never mind, here he comes now. Sir, she wants to speak to you." The waitress turned Sai's attention over to a scraggly looking blonde man with brown eyes and a large nose.

"Hello Miss. You really have American dollars there huh?"

"Yes. But I have a hard time finding the exchange rate to be that high- you wouldn't be…lying… to me, would you sir? The police are only just across the way, and I'm sure they wouldn't have any trouble…"

"Stop, stop, stop! Now then, there's no reason to bring those cops over here. So you know your money, alright then, fine. Carry, give her whatever she wants for two dollars."

"Two?" Sai questioned. Now it seemed too low.

"Alright, fifty cents!" The manager began to hyperventilate. Sai could see sweat beginning to bead up on his forehead. Wow. The American money Bulma had given her was worth so much here! Truly almost priceless… she inwardly laughed at her joke. Money as priceless…

Soon the waitress brought her out a drink and small basket of fries, her order. Sai had no change, so she gave the waitress a dollar and told her she could keep the change. The look on the face of the woman had been… priceless. 

After eating, Sai found herself wandering the streets. She knew not where she was going, but only that if the rift had opened and dropped her here, then there had to have been a reason. But so far all she had seen was crime and a society that had morals very different from what she was used to, even in the Gundam world. She passed a pawnshop and stopped to watch the televisions in the window. The program playing was called Big Shots. Though she thought it was an unusual name, she watched anyway.

"Today on Big Shots we have a real baddie!" A woman who had skimpily clad squealed.

"That's right folks! This man is responsible for looting the grocery stores on Mars, Venus, and even Earth!" A black man appeared beside the woman. "What's so bad about stealing groceries? A lot apparently, since the bounty on his head has been set at a whopping fifty million woolong!"

"That's right everyone! Catch him and the fifty million is yours!" The woman nodded excitedly with her co-host. Sai smirked. Now she remembered what a bounty was. People received money for turning in a bandit in the days of the old west. Well, she supposed, the police must have had such a problem with crime that they had reverted back to that system. How perfectly cowardly of them. They couldn't even take care of their own work. She smirked. Probably too fat to catch anyone. Sai walked on.

Suddenly her sensitive ears picked up the sounds of a fight. She stepped around the corner and found herself observing what she had heard only seconds before. A group of seven or eight were beating on one man. The man, already on the ground, was still trying to get back up, but slowly losing ground. It wasn't that the man on the ground wasn't strong, no; he looked like he could take one or two of them on. But all of them, all together? No. She sighed. She felt it her obligation to help him.

"Hey!" She yelled to get their attention.

"What do you want girly?"

"Let him go. Now. Or you'll have to fight me." She gave them the ultimatum. They all stopped. Their apparent leader stepped up front.

"You? Fight us?" He looked her over. "Alright honey. And after we knock you out, we'll just have a little fun with you're body. Don't worry babe. You won't feel anything, you'll be too beaten to notice anything."

"Try it and see." She sneered. They let go of the man all together and advanced on her. A few punches, kicks, and simple fighting moves later, and all but one of the men was lying on the ground.

"No way!" He yelled. "I'm out of here!" He yelled as he ran. Sai simply smirked. It had felt good to beat the crap out of them, but she was a little depressed she had had to hold back as much as she did. One ki blast would have sent them all to hell. Oh well. She stepped over to the man who was kneeling on the ground and offered him her hand.

"Want help?"

"Sure, hey thanks." She simply grunted and nodded. As the man tried to stand, he doubled back over and groaned. Sai sat him back down and looked him over. He was bleeding heavily in his mid section.

"They used knives on an unarmed man?"

"Yeah. Apparently their parents were apes- they never learned any manners." The man laughed before wincing. "Look, could you get me to my ship? It's close by."

"Hnn." She grunted, nodding in affirmative. Then she easily hoisted the man over her shoulder, ignoring his surprised shouts and complaints. As they walked the short distance to his ship, she couldn't help but ask.

"Why did they beat you up?"

"You hear of the bounty on the man who was robbing the grocery stores?"

"Yeah, on Big Shots this afternoon." She answered.

"I just turned him in. They were after the money."

"You caught him?"

"Yeah. Him and a roll of Bounty paper towels from his last raid." The man laughed slightly, and then coughed. As Sai put him in his ship, she realized he was about to pass out.

"Can you get home on your own old man?"

"Old man?" He grunted in discomfort. "I'm not… that… old." He was wheezing heavily. 

"Want me to take you home?"

"I'm living on a ship in space, it's pretty far out of the way. Don't bother." 

"Name of the ship?" she asked as she climbed into the smaller pod with him. Guilt was telling her she had to help him get home. She had already seen one man die today; she couldn't bare it with any other.

"The Bebop. The name's Jet, Jet Black." And he passed out.

"Roger that." Sai acknowledged the sleeping man. *


	6. Space Cowboys and Girls

Chapter Six: Space Cowboys and Girls

*Finally Sai managed to hack into the computer's system and figure out where this Jet Black's ship was located. The things she read about in the database if his ship was incredible. Gates that took people across space in no time at all, cryogenic freezing, space colonization, terra-formation projects, everything was so foreign to her.

The advances humanity had made brought back memories of home. All the things people had dreamed of for so long. Colonizing space, new technology, new medical advancements. She wondered where her world would go, what lay in its future without her there to create a Crystal Tokyo. The world would be different, but would they exceed this world? Or the Gundam world? Or the Dragon world? And what of those worlds? Would they eventually gain the same technology that this one already had? Or would this one gain technology that they already had? Suddenly her thoughts were jogged by someone yelling in her ear. A small child had popped up on her screen.

"Who are you? You not Jet Jet! Ed wants to know where Jet Jet is!"

"Jet is right here beside me. Is there a place I can dock?"

"Ed wants to speak to Jet Jet!"

"Well then let me speak to Ed."

"Ed is Ed!"

"You're Ed?" Sai was slightly confused. The child spoke in third person all the time? Such a confusing kid!

"Well, Jet is injured. Can I dock so you can help him?"

"Docking bay in the back! Ed will meet you there!" And then as quickly as the child had appeared, it was gone. Sai suddenly felt the ship she was in draw away from her controls. As much as she wanted to fight it, there was no way she could without hacking the system, and that would take time. She finally gave up, and allowed the ship to do what it would. 

Somehow, the ship found it's way around the side of the Bebop and began moving towards the bay cargo doors, which were opening. Sai assumed that someone inside the ship had simple taken control so they could be sure she wasn't trying to kill them or something. As the smaller ship she was in entered the large ship, she was fascinated. Never before had she thought it was possible. Even after seeing ships like Peacemillion house the Gundams, she was still full of wonderment each time something like this happened. But wasn't this ship coming in too fast to be parking? 

Slowly the ship began to stop, but it was too little, too late. It bounced off one of the walls, knocking them around the room slightly. The groan of metal was not something Sai was too happy to hear. And the scrapping noise couldn't have been good either. Finally they stopped and the doors behind them closed. Sai opened the main hatch, and picked up Jet. 

"Jet Jet!" The kid she had seen over the screen in the smaller ship was running towards her, full speed.

"Ed! You could have ruined my ship!" Came the next cry. A woman wearing a very trashy and revealing yellow outfit stormed up towards them. She stopped when she saw the two new people. "Who are you?" She asked.

"The name's Sai."

"What happened to him?" Another voice joined them. This one belonged to a tall, lanky man with dark greenish hair and a cigarette shoved in-between his lips.

"Stab in a fight. I brought him in for you." The man looked at her with concern. 

"Why?"

"Because I felt like it." She snuffed him. This was the thanks she got for saving the man's life? Not worth the trouble. Next time she would let the person rot instead of helping them.

"Thanks. Bring him in here, would you?" He turned around, not even bothering to see if she was following him.

"Jet Jet is injured? Then Ed will nurse Jet Jet back to health! Then Jet Jet will play with Ed and Ein!" Sai looked at the kid out of the corner of her eye.

"If you're a girl, why's you're name Ed?"

"Ed name Ed! Ed name Ed!" She seemed to find herself amusing, because the girl began to laugh and jump up and down. The dog, whom Sai had just notice, barked happily with the little girl.

"Ed! Shut that mutt up!" Yelled the woman behind them. 

"Ed will do as Faye Faye asks! Ein, let's go! Ed will get a blanket for Jet Jet!" With that, the little girl and the dog left.

"I can't believe it!" The woman sighed. "He didn't even get the food! We're starving, and he couldn't even get any food for us! Men!"

"He was a bit pre-occupied." Sai told her.

"So?" 

"Put him here." The man stopped, and Sai realized she was standing in a makeshift living room. She lay the giant man on the couch and watched as the other man opened his shirt and looked at the wound. "It's pretty deep." He muttered. 

Twenty minutes later an awkward silence befell the group of four. Even Ed and Ein were silent for a change. Sai stared at them, wondering what to do. It had been determined that Jet's wound hadn't been serious, and now that his wounds were dressed, she had no reason to be here. But she had no other way to get back to Earth. 

"What are you called?" Ed finally spoke, breaking the silence. Sai looked at the girl, who was wearing goggles over her eyes and hanging like a monkey from the bars above their heads.

"Sai."

"My name's Faye, and this here's Spike. Look, thanks for bringing Jet home and all, but it was useless. You should have just let him lay there. If he didn't turn in the guy and get the bounty, we don't have any use for him."

"Don't listen to her. He actually pulls his share of the weight around here. Faye doesn't do much except gamble away our earnings."

"Excuse me? I know I didn't just hear you say that, when you're so busy thinking about Julia that you can't even keep your head on straight!"

"Don't speak about her like that! She's the angel you'll never be!"

"Jerk! Go back to Earth with all the rest of the freaks and losers. It's where you belong! You and your stupid Julia!" As they fought, Sai leaned over towards Ed and spoke to her.

"Who is Julia?"

"Spike person's old girlfriend! Spike person loved loved loved her! But she died! And Faye Faye loves loves loves Spike person!" She answered in a singsong voice. But neither Spike nor Faye heard her, they were too busy fighting. 

"Hnn." Sai half answered. She was deep in thought. Then she broke her train and decided to break theirs as well. "Jet did get the bounty money. He told me so. But I use a different currency, so I didn't know what it looked like."

"He got it?" Spike and Faye repeated together. Spike searched through Jet's pockets, and successfully came up with a chip.

"He got it!" Faye cried happily.

"Food!" Ed joined in. Even the dog Ein barked. 

"Thanks." Spike acknowledged Sai. She nodded.

"Let me see it!" Faye yelled. Just as Faye tried to grab the chip of money from Spike's hand, Sai pushed her. She slipped and fell to the ground, taking Spike with her. They landed in a tangled mess on the floor. 

"Sorry." They both breathed at the same time, neither really knowing what they were saying. And they just lay there, not moving. Tension grew heavy, and then they each began to move towards each other.

"What are Faye Faye and Spike person doing on the ground?" Ed asked.

"Nothing. Ed, did you hear that?" Sai asked. It was time to leave the lovebirds alone.

"No…"

"Let's go check it out! And bring Ein."

"Right! Ed will check it out with Sai Sai! Sai Sai and Faye Faye on the Bebop Sai Sai and Faye Faye and Ed Ed the cowgirls of space! Jet Jet and Spike person the cowboys of space!" She began chanting as they left the room. As they walked down the Bebop, they passed a window, and immediately stopped. Right outside the window was a very familiar multicolored patch of space.

"Ed! Is there a place I can get out of the ship?"

"Ed says you can leave through the door!"

"Which one?"

"In the hanger! Come, Ed will show! Is Sai Sai leaving?"

"Yes." As soon as they reached the door, Sai made Ed leave. Then she refitted her helmet to her space suit and left, heading towards the anomaly. What had she helped with in this place? She had saved one man's life and created a couple of his friends. Not much to her, but who knew? Maybe one day that group would end up doing something important, like taking out that Syndicate and Vicious. Oh well. Time was up here, so she was leaving. And she pushed off into the pretty, swirling colors. *


	7. Secret Battle Grounds

Chapter Seven: Secret Battle Grounds 

* Landing roughly, Sai felt her delicate body being compressed slightly. Pure weightlessness surrounded her, and the nonexistent gravity worried her. Where was she this time? Managing to open her tired eyes, the last thing she saw before she fell asleep was a very familiar face. A face she was, concerned to say, she was happy to see.

)(

Jump, run, jump, run, jump, run, " Sai!" 'fall'.

Sai sat up , barely breathing hard, and stared at the man who had stopped her from finishing the hurdles she had been jumping. Since her return from the Bebop world almost a year ago, she had been living with the crazy doctors from the Gundam world. Doing their dirty work got tiring, but at least she had a place where people considered her worthwhile and needed- a place where they took her fighting skills seriously.

" Sai, I have just received word that there is a new Red Fang base. I need you to destroy it. Don't hack the computer, just blow it up. Mission accepted?"

" Yeah, mission accepted. Where is it?"

" Ten miles east of the last one. They're getting bolder. Show them someone is watching them closely, and that if they mess with peace, they'll be sorry."

" Roger that Doc J. Those idiots will be in fear up to their necks when I'm done with them."

"Sounds good. Go to it." With that, the doctor left the training room and Sai got together her infiltration gear.

She quickly pulled on her sleek bodysuit and tied her hair up tightly so it wouldn't interfere. Adjusting her gun holsters so they wouldn't create any noise or complications to her movement, she added a knife at her ankle and guns at her calves, and thighs. The finishing touch was her sword, which she perched on her back. Then she put her capsule of explosive devices in her belt loophole and headed out for the base.

Apparently, since the war had ended, rebel groups had begun popping up all over. Usually the Preventers handled them, but after the Eve Wars with Marimeia, she had decided to give them some help. The Eve Wars. She had returned just in the nick of time to assist with them. They were still burned into her memory, as if they had happened yesterday.

)( 

Sai once again sat in her black Taurus. She looked over the switches and finally ignited the engine. Up in space, a battle loomed. While she watched the crazed and misguided pilot of Shenlong fight the pilot of Wing Zero, she waited for the old Aries shipment that was being sent as back up to the battle on Earth. She was going to stop it before they could inflict any more damage to the fragile peace that had been achieved only the year before.

As the shipment drew closer, she watched as Shenlong turned to watch the shipment as well. She saw the pilot of Wing Zero turn his Gundam to face her. She knew he saw her, but didn't make any move to either help her or destroy her. Did he remember her from the last battle against Earth? Then the carriers began to move again, and Shenlong attacked Wing Zero. Sai, too, began her attack upon the Aries troops. She saw as she destroyed the last of the troops the two Gundams fall into the atmosphere to end their fight on Earth.

)( 

Since then, a group that referred to themselves as the Red Fang had appeared on Earth. They hated the colonies for all the trouble they had caused them, and wanted to destroy them. They were beginning to gain more power, so she and Doctor J had taken the next steps. If they had gotten any larger than they had been when they had been discovered, Doctor J would have skipped over having Sai handle them and gone straight to the Preventers. However, Sai had been able to keep them at a minimal in numbers and supplies by destroying bases and shipment lines. 

Soon she reached the base. Severing the chain link fence, she tiptoed into the base without the soldiers on guard ever seeing her. Strategically placing her bombs all over the base, in a hanger here, a soldier's barracks there, she smirked. This would be a piece of cake; they would never know what hit them. But this, she knew, would not be enough. She was supposed to instill fear upon them, not just destroy them. When she got to what appeared to be the main office, an idea struck her. Quickly and quietly using ki blasts to kill the workers, she stepped over to the loud speaker. 

"Attention, may I please have your attention. As of this moment, you are all now hostages of mine. This base is now mine, and any attempts to over take it will be in vain. If you resist, you will be killed. If you do as ordered, you will prolong your life as long as I see fit. If anyone so much as moves, and I can see you all from my position, you will be killed instantly. There are bombs set all around this base- I suggest not trying anything foolish. On another note, I would like all senior officers to the Office now! Thank you, and have a nice day." 

Sai smirked as she said the last line. This was one base that would be sorry they had to deal with her. She looked up as a knock on the door was heard. She stepped beside the door and said to the people outside : "You may enter." Ten men all came in, all with guns firing all over the room. They stopped, seeing no one.

"Thank god, no one's here, it was all just a…" 

" Just a joke? I'm afraid not." The men turned to face a closed door- and the woman who had closed it. " Drop your guns, now." The men complied. "Good. Please, have a seat on the floor." She smiled brightly. The men scowled. Her bright smile made them uneasy in a way they couldn't explain. 

"What do you want from us?" One of the older, more superior officers wanted to know.

" To punish you for trying to disrupt peace. Here's the deal. Russian Roulette, as it is called, is my favorite game, and I haven't had the chance to watch it played for a while. How to play you ask? It's quite simple. I'll bring you in a soldier, and you can either hold the gun to his head and shoot him, or hold it to your own head and hope to Kami the gun has no bullet. Sounds like fun, doesn't it now?" She gave a strained giggled. 

" Your sick in the head. We won't play your twisted game!" Sai turned and shot the man who had spoken. 

"Anyone else want to sit out?" No one answered, so she pulled a soldier from out in the hall into the room. "Let's begin."**__**

An hour later, Sai finally decided it was time to end the massacre. "What a pity. And he was cute too. Oh well, only four officers left, and no more contestants to play against. Whatever shall I do with you all? I know. For being such good sports and playing so nicely, I'll let you go. Tell you what. I'll give you fifteen minutes to get off this base. And twenty four hours to get to the Preventer's headquarters to tell them about your little scheme against the colonies. If I find out that not all of you go, I'll kill you all. If you all go, I'll leave you to the Preventers. What do you say?" 

Vigorous head nods were seen from all four of the men, who were still sitting on the floor… surrounded by thick puddles of drying blood. The stench was beginning to drive them crazy, and if that wasn't enough, there was a pile of bodies lying beside them, each as lifeless as the last. "Good. Clock starts now. Go!" With that, the four men ran with all their might.

"What wimps." Sai said to herself as she walked out of the base. After fifteen minutes, she pushed the little red button on the clicker she held, and the base was turned into rubble. "Mission complete." 

)(

"Your telling me that you planned to blow up the colonies?" 

" Yes, and we're sorry! Please tell her we came! Please don't let her kill us!"

" Please keep her away! We all came!"

" We told you! Please!"

" Slow down! All three of you are going too fast. And what is wrong with him?" Lady Une, head of Preventers, Wufei Chang, Sally Poe, Lucretia Noin, and Zechs Marquis all sat around a large round table, with four very upset men next to the door. Three of the men were babbling about how they had come, how they had told her their plans, and were begging her to save them from _her_ as they put it. 

The fourth was just standing there, not saying anything with his mouth wide open. Though she had continuously asked what his problem was, none of the others seemed to hear her. 

"Enough!" Cried Wufei. He held up his gun for good measure, thinking it would scare them into silence, but all it did was make them cry louder. Suddenly, the one who had been in shock seemed to wake up. 'The gun must have triggered his response' thought Wufei scornfully.

" I'm sorry. We've just had a very terrifying experience. Put them in another room, and I'll explain."

" Fine. Zechs, help me with them." Noin said, standing up. Even she was beginning to get a headache from the crazy men. When she and Zechs returned, the man was finishing his story up. 

"…Fifteen minutes to get out, and twenty four hours to get here, or else we die too. So, we came right over. Please, protect us. We're sorry for plotting against you like we did, but please help us."

The Preventers in the room, with the exception of Noin and Zechs, sat still. "We'll put you in a well-guarded room. Noin, Make sure there are guards near the other three men as well." Lady Une stood to take charge. Then, Wufei stood up.

" I would like to take this as a case and work on it with more professionals."

"Who in particular, Wufei? It's too big for just you and Sally." Une answered, already knowing what he had in mind.

"Not with Sally, but the other Pilots."

"You've got it then. But I want full updates on a regular basis. Sally, I need you here to check on the well-being and mental health of our guests anyway, and Zechs and Noin, I want security here stepped up to it's highest possible point. We take no chances from now on, both with the Red Fang, or this new, seemingly free-lance assassin who is so deadly, got it?" A chorus of "yes mame" was heard around the room.

Wufei stood and stretched. It was time to pay Quatre and the other three pilots a visit. Knowing they were all staying at Quatre's home on the boarder of the Sanq Kingdome, he prepared to break to them the news of their new mission. Frowning, he left. They weren't going to enjoy hearing about this new assassin, or the sick games she liked to play.**__**

"…Made them play Russian Roulette? That's horrible!" Quatre cried. Just as Wufei had predicted. He had to inwardly smile at it. 

" It was a good idea." 

" Hiiro, how can you say it was a good idea? It nearly made them crazy!" 

"Quatre, in making them play, and then letting them get out alive, who ever this person is has shown the Red Fang that they are being watched carefully, and if they do more than they should, they will be punished for it. This new assassin scared the Red Fang into hiding, which means we have more time to find them before they attack the colonies hard." He answered. But just because he thought it was a good idea didn't mean he liked the thought. It made his stomach churn. His own conscience and guilt would have eaten him alive if he had been that ruthless.

" Hiiro's right. It may not have been the nicest thing to do, but it got this 'Sai's' point across. "

" Trowa, you think letting people kill others and themselves is a good thing to do too?"

"No, but Hiiro's right too. Though it wasn't moral, it did help us. The thing we must be careful of now is this new assassin getting to bold with all of her future missions."

" Regardless of what we think or feel, we need to catch the Red Fang's main base. As I've checked into it so far, I've found a great number of bases; all of which have already been hit, and hit hard. Sometimes, there wasn't even any building foundation left, only scorch marks on the ground."

" Wufei's right. When I check all the supply lines, they had been destroyed the same way, no remains, just scorch marks." Added in Duo.

" I have, however, noticed a pattern in the places of their bases."

"Hey, Wu-man, you're a poet and you didn't even know it!"

" Damnit, Maxwell, let me finish. They all go in a circular pattern around the Sanq Kingdom, all of them right outside the country's boarder as a matter of fact. We finally found a base that hasn't been hit yet, but security is incredible. There are only two entrances, and five guards on the outside of each. There are booby traps, trigger alarms if you don't know where to step, secret passage ways, and probably cameras and sound bugs everywhere. They don't want it to be hit the same way the others were, and none of the other bases have been as heavily guarded. Therefore, we assume that this base is the main one."

" Sounds good. Do we leave tonight?" Asked Trowa.

" Yeah, everything is set up and ready to go. If everything goes according to plan, the base will be destroyed, and hopefully the rest of Red Fang's plans as well."

"You've thought of everything except one thing, Wufei."

" What did I forget Hiiro?"

" If everything we've heard about this new assassin is true, this 'Sai' will have already figured the same things about the base. Will another person complicate our plans?"

" Yui, this 'Sai' character won't stand a chance against us. We are not weak, we are superior in fighting skills, piloting, and infiltration. Sai will not be a problem."

"I hope you're right Wufei, for your sakes that is."*


	8. Base-ic Problems

Chapter Eight: Base-ic Problems 

*Just after the sun went down, a jeep pulled onto a dusty old road. With music playing loudly, the jeep speed down the road much faster than it should have. The occupants of the jeep were five teenage boys, and the object of it's occupants was simple. Get in, get out, and live to see tomorrow. 

Yes, that should have been simple enough for Hiiro Yui. He was raised doing the exact same thing all his life, but for some strange reason, he had a feeling of foreboding in his veins tonight. Maybe tonight would be his last, or maybe something else cataclysmic would happen, but whatever it was, it was going to happen soon. The driver of the jeep, Wufei, was pulling over, and from here on in, they would be walking.

After nearly ten minutes, they came to a large building in the middle of the woods. 

"This is it." Said Wufei. "Anyone have any ideas on how to get in?"

" Weren't you supposed to know that?" Asked Duo.

" I know what to do once we get inside, but we need to get in without causing a stir. Any suggestions?"

" Maybe we could…shh…I hear something." Quatre hushed his friends quickly. Then, out of the bushes, a lone figure crossed to the guards standing at the entrance. From their places, the pilots could hear and see perfectly. 'A girl?' Hiiro thought 'just a girl? What can she do against five armed guards?' he sat and watched the events unfold.

"Excuse me sir, but I'm lost, and I can't seem to find my way. Could you help me?" With her words, all five guards instantly crowded her to ask where she wanted to go. 

" Where? Why, I would like to go home." 

" Where's home, beautiful?" Asked a guard.

" The moon." Was the girl's reply. With that, shot took out a sword and quickly and precisely sliced each of the five guards to pieces. "Sorry, but you can't stand in my way." With that, she ran into the base.

"Well, that was interesting. Too bad we couldn't see her face in the dark." Was Duo's response. 

" That must have been our little assassin girl at work." Trowa put in.

"Just like a woman to be conniving and manipulative." Snorted Wufei.

"Let's go. The guards are down."

"Just like Hiiro, never one to put things off until the last minute." Sighed Duo as the four others watched Hiiro walk through the entrance, loading his gun in the process.

Sai was having a hard time. She had originally wanted to tap the main computer for information and then blow the place sky high without a warning, but couldn't find any computers anywhere. 

As she twisted and turned, she realized she was caught in a maze. 'Must be how they discourage visitors around here.' She knew that at the end of the maze the main base would be found, but she was having the devil of a time trying to find it in the first place. Suddenly, she heard voices from around the corner. Only slightly worried about them being guards, she straightened the stolen uniform she was wearing and stepped into the opening. She came face to face with five others who were wearing uniforms as well.

"Good evening gentlemen."

" Good evening to you as well miss. Out for a stroll of this maze of a base?"

"You might say that. Why don't you walk with me?"

" Happy to, mi'lady! Do we get a name?" Duo grinned. 'He was never one to pass up speaking to a pretty girl.' Hiiro inwardly frowned at his thoughts. 

" Yulate. And yours?"

" Duo. These are my friends, Hiiro, Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei."

" That's an unusual name, Yulate. Are you an Angel of Compassion, like the myth says?" Quatre asked.

" I doubt I am an angel at all, Quatre." With that, they strolled on, Sai hoping that these soldiers would lead her right to the main base.

The Gundam boys were having an awful time. They needed this soldier girl Yulate to take them to the main base, but she was leading as blindly as they were following. Hiiro was at his wit's end trying to find the main computer, and saw that the others were as well. He wondered if Sai had already made it through the maze and was almost done setting the explosives. Without saying anything, he pulled his gun out and pressed it against Yulate's back. 

"Take us to the main base, now." Sai felt the cold metal pressing against her warm neck. These men weren't soldiers, they were infiltrating just as she was, and they thought she really was a soldier. She stood stunned for a brief second. Then she made her move.

"I can't do that." She answered. This might almost be considered funny.

"Oh really, why not _angel_?" Hiiro was losing patience.

" Because." Suddenly, Hiiro felt cold metal pressing against his stomach. He felt sick. "I'm no soldier. I was so hoping you could help me get through, but, it seems you are no more soldiers to this base than I. Why not get out with the real names. You know, it really is too dark to see in here, and if you make it out alive, I won't be able to hunt you down and kill you for nearly spoiling my plans."

" We told our real names, or didn't you?" Remarked Trowa.

"Of course not. I would have been killed if you had been real guards. Allow me to introduce myself." She stepped away from Hiiro and faced him and the other boys. " I am Sai."

Hiiro's heart speed, his veins pumped with adrenaline. This was the assassin that had made even him, the Perfect Soldier noxious with her sick and twisted games to play with hostages. This was who had blown up those bases so precisely that not even Wufei could find any remains. This was a girl that had, for the first time ever, fooled him and then shocked him. He liked the adrenaline rush and fresh feeling it sparked deep within his stomach. Then again, he thought to himself 'this is a mission, not a game.'

"So you're Sai. Come to blow the base up?"

" Gee, I didn't think I was so famous. Yes, that's why I'm here. And, uh, boys, if you want me, or the honor of blowing the base, you'll have to catch me first." With that, Sai speed down the next corridor as fast as she possibly could. As she ran through the twists and turns of the maze, she thought about the boys she had just met. Their names were familiar, but she couldn't place them. 

Then there was something about that Hiiro, the one who had held the gun to her. He had scared her for the first time in years, and at the same time, made her feel strange. Then, of course, she cut all of the trash out of her mind because she had finally found the main base. This was a mission, not a game. Ignoring all the people and machines, she found what she was looking for, the computer mainframe. As she took out her laptop, she shook her head to clear it of all thoughts.

Hiiro chased after Sai. Though he knew he couldn't catch her, he had to try. He lost her some where after the fifth turn, and as he slowed, the other pilots came crashing behind him. 

"We lost her. Damn. Une would have liked to put her in prison." Huffed Wufei.

" Listen! Can anyone else here that? Drills!" Quatre cried. The others listed and followed the sound, each step bringing them close towards Sai and the main base. When they reached the main base, Hiiro turned to the others.

"I'm going after the computer mainframe. Set the explosives for manual detonation and as soon as your all out of the base, blow it. Don't wait for me."

"Hiiro?"

"Just do it." With that, he raced off.

Sai was just shutting her computer down when she heard someone breaking the locks on the door to enter. Drawing her sword, she recapsulized her computer and waited for the intruder. Soon, a dark figure appeared. 

"Sai. I know you're here." His empty voice sent chills through her spine.

"You have to be good to have found me so easily." She lowered her sword. "Are your friends setting the explosives?" 

"Five minutes, ten at the most before they go off." He grunted.

" It took me that long to download the information. It'll take you that long too, and by the time you start the down load, you'll be blown to shreds." She stated lazily.

"That's a choice I'll take for the information." Sai's eyes widened at his brave but foolish statement. 

" Let's go." She snapped.

" Not without…"

"I'll give you a copy of what I got. Let's go. It's now or never. Take my offer or leave it." Hiiro looked hard at the girl in front of him. Though he couldn't see her features, he could tell she was serious and wouldn't skip with the information.

"Fine." With that, the two raced at a breakneck pace towards the maze entrance. 

Just as they reached the exit maze doorway, soldiers over took them. Hiiro got out his gun and started shooting everyone he saw. Out of the corner of his eye, he watch Sai wield her giant broad sword, slashing any one who dared take her on. As they finished with the last couple of men, They heard a booming noise coming straight for them. The walls caved in, and the last thing Hiiro saw was Sai pushing him out the door way with a bag in his hand.*


	9. Confusing Identities

Chapter Nine: Confusing Identities 

*Hiiro awoke to the sound of his name being called. He saw in the distance, the other four pilots looking in the rubble for his body. As he stood up, he brushed off his jeans and shirt. In his hand he held a small leather bag, given to him by Sai. Sai. Where was she?

"Hiiro! There you are!" Duo called out to him.

"Hiiro! You're alive!" Cried Quatre.

" Knew you didn't have enough guts to die Yui. Get the disk?" Asked Wufei.

"Don't know. Sai?"

"No one saw her come out. Did you run into her in the computer room?" Questioned Trowa.

"Hnn. On our way out, we got detained with some guards. Then the bombs went off. She gave me this and that's all I saw." He held the bag out. While Wufei took it from him, he turned to look at the base. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement beneath the heavy cement walls that had nearly collapsed in on him. Tapping Trowa and Duo on the shoulders, the three of them went to lift the block, while Wufei stood with a gun for good measure, and Quatre now examined the bag. The boys lifted the block with great difficulty and threw it aside. Duo gasped in shock.

" Unnn…my head… can I stay home from school today mommy?" There, underneath the block, was Sai, trying to sit up, but having a very hard time. Duo kneeled beside her and checked her breathing. 

" She's in really bad shape… at least four broken ribs, if not all of them, and a nasty bump on the head to match. Not to mention any internal problems because of being crushed. She needs a doctor, and a good one, fast." 

"Well, we're done here anyway. We might as well take her back to the Preventer's headquarters where Sally can look at her. After that, she can be questioned, tried, and convicted." 

"Wufei has a good plan. Hiiro, you can carry her to the jeep and hold her while I drive back. Do we know what the contents of the bag are yet?" Asked Trowa.

" No, just some little metal capsules and a scrap of paper that has a few jumbled words on it." Answered Quatre as they loaded the jeep. The ride back to the base was silent as the five boys mulled over their own thoughts. Sai remained unconscious throughout the trip, a bad sign of her poor health. Finally when the arrived, Sally and Une met them in the parking lot.

An hour later, Sally came out of the Preventers medical wing to be greeted by five anxious boys. She frowned, and they knew it was serious.**__**

"She was really serious. I mean, broken bones, internal bleeding, head trauma, lung punctures, the works. It's bad enough that I don't think she'll last the night. Sorry boys, but I did all I could, and chances are one hundred to one that she'll live to see tomorrow." 

"Thanks Sally. Help you with the report?" 

"Sure Wufei." And the two walked out of the door.

"Well, no one can figure out what the tin canisters in her bad contain. They don't open, and they aren't big enough to fit anything into, not even a disk."

"Are you sure Miss. Noin? There's no disk of information?"

"None. Sorry Quatre. What we did find was a scrap of paper. Once we figured out it was written in ancient Japanese, we had a translator decode it. It contains directions on how to change one's appearance."

"What?" Asked Trowa.

"You heard me. It says to pull the pin out of the capsule that is somewhere on the body. We think that those things in the bag are called capsules, and that she might have been wearing one to alter her true appearance. Did you see any?"

" Not that we know of. She's in the room asleep right now, and Hiiro's in there with her. Maybe he noticed something." With that, Trowa, Noin, and Quatre walked into Sai's room to question Hiiro.

Hiiro was sitting on an extremely hard chair staring blankly at Sai. Not that he was looking at her, but he was looking her direction, and thinking about her weird behavior. She had threatened his life, then offered to help him, then been his comrade for a few moments, and then saved him and put herself in harm's way for him. It wouldn't be so confusing if he hadn't known she was more partial to killing people than trying to get along and help them. She had easily killed others. So why not kill him? He was an enemy too. Why not? Then he heard Quatre, Noin, and Trowa enter the room. 

" Hiiro, have you seen any trinkets on Sai? I mean, any rings, bracelets, charms?" Asked Noin.

"Only her necklace, the choker around her throat." He looked at it in detail for the first time. It had a thin, wide black velvet strip of cloth with a silver canister embroidered into the neckline. 

"That may be it. The directions say to pull the pin out of the top." Said Noin.

"Why?" Asked Hiiro.

"We think that she's altered her true appearance by using that device." Answered Trowa. As Quatre pulled the pin from the capsule, Sai's form took on slow but drastic changes. First, she seemingly shrank on the bed. She got shorter, and her arms and legs thinner. Her face softened, and her skin became paler. Her shorter black hair became long, golden blonde hair that fanned around her, and when her eyes flickered open briefly, they were azure blue, not purple any more. Another strange addition was an upturned, crescent- shaped golden moon on her forehead. 

" Wow." Said Noin as the change was completed. 

"She really does look like the angel of compassion. What do you think, Hiiro? Trowa?" Asked Quatre. Not for the first time since he had met Sai, Hiiro was speechless over her. What was she? And _why_ was she? What was her purpose?

"Yui! I need a report from you!" Zechs cried as he stamped in through the door. 'Damned man.' Hiiro thought. He turned and left the room to complete his report. **__**

Five very sleepy pilots woke to find that they were sitting in the Preventer's headquarters outside the medical rooms. As they stretched and drank the bad Preventer coffee, Sally Po came whistling cheerfully down the hall. 

"Morning boys! Sleep well?"

"Woman…" 

"I know… your night was hell. As soon as I get these papers checked, I'll look at our patient, but like I said yesterday, she wasn't expected to last the night." With that, Sally turned and walked into another room. Suddenly, a sleepy yawn was heard from the door of Sai's room. In the doorway was Sai, standing and alert.

"Could someone get me something warm to drink?" She asked. Sai didn't know why they were staring, but she didn't like all of the attention. She had barely noticed when she woke up that she was in 'Serena' form, but when she did, she didn't bother to change back to Sai. It hurt too much to lift her arm to touch her capsule. As Trowa handed her a cup of something, she drank it down quickly. Then she spit it out as fast as it had gone into her mouth.

"Coffee? Thanks for the thought, but is hot chocolate possible?" Trowa nodded, slightly surprised, and went to get her her desired drink.

"You want hot chocolate? You?" Was Duo's reply. Sai nodded slightly in response, but couldn't do much more. She felt dizzy. Grabbing the wall for support, she was surprised to find a strong hand wrap around her waist and hoist her up. Looking up, she found it difficult to keep her poker face while so close to him.

" Thanks Hiiro. My bag and capsules?" 

"I'll go get them…" And Quatre left down the hall. Just then, Sally Po chose to walk through the door. 

"You're up? I didn't think you'd make it through the night, and your standing up?"

"Yeah, well, us freaks have this knack for surviving near death situations… or maybe it's a Lunarian thing… oh well." She drank down the hot chocolate Trowa had given her. She nodded her head in thanks. Was she going soft? Then, Quatre handed her her bad.

" I suppose you haven't figured them out?"

" How'd you guess? Perhaps the question is, should we be giving them back to you, a dangerous assassin?" Asked Wufei.

"Hnn." She pulled out one, then handed it to Hiiro. "Hold this." Then she dug for another one. 

When she was satisfied it was the one she wanted, she pushed the pin, and into her hand fell three small beans. She ate one, and then put the rest back in the capsule. Suddenly she felt much better. There was no more pain, and her energy level was sky high. To get the feel of her body, she quickly did a couple of stretches, then pulled off the bandages that had been wrapped around her.

"Are you crazy? You've got…" Sally began, but stopped mid sentence. She could no longer see any bruises or cuts. The girl's broken wrist was completely healed as well.

"No." Sai muttered. "Only partially." Taking the other capsule from Hiiro, she pushed the pin. After her laptop appeared, she sat down to type on it. As soon as five minutes later, she was ejecting a disk and handing it to Hiiro.

"I promised the information, didn't I?" He could only nod in response. Then her computer beeped impatiently. She opened the mail, and on the screen appeared Doctor J. "Doc J. Mission complete. However, I will not be able to return right away. I'm being detained by five Preventer, who, I am ashamed to admit, are almost close to being as good as I am."

"Really my dear? What are their names?" Asked the old man. Why had he asked? Sai could see by the gleam in his eye that he already knew.

"Hiiro, Quatre, Duo, Trowa, and Wufei?" Hiiro noted the cool tone in her voice.

"Know them? Those are the Gundam Pilots, Sai." She stared blankly at the screen. Then she turned and looked at each of the boys, one at a time.

"You're the Gundam Pilots, and you didn't say anything?"

"Um, yeah babe. If we did, we would be killed for sure. Besides, you probably fought for OZ in the war. Don't you hate us?" Answered Duo, thinking he'd gotten the better of her.

"Her? On OZ's side in the war? Duo, have your hearing checked. When you came to get us Doctors from in Libra, I told you both Sai and Hiiro were too busy to help us. That means that she fought on your side." Spoke up Doctor J from the computer.

"I helped more than you know. I'm the reason 01 got his buster rifle in time, and I warned you about the extra mobile dolls from behind."

"That was you?" Duo shouted. She nodded.

"And during the Eve Wars, I watched Shenlong and Wing Zero duke it out in space before I took on the Aries attack force that was going to Earth as reinforcements against you all. I've been part of this from the time the Doctors began rebuilding Shenlong and Deathscythe in the Lunar Base."

"Really?" Asked Quatre.

"Hnn. Do I have a reason to lie yet?"

"Sai, since you're there, I have news for all of you. The Red Fang have dissipated; there will be no more missions for a while. Stay. Take a vacation. Hiiro, Sai is my top student at the moment. Take care of her. And Sai, I like the fact that you've gone back to your real appearance. You know, I've only seen you like that one other time. Consider keeping it." With that, the old doctor ended the transmission. 

"I don't think so." She said in a harsh response to his comments.

" Hnn." Hiiro grunted. She caught his eye and held him in a stare.

"No." She gave a half smirk. Standing, she recapsulized her laptop and began walking out of the Preventers headquarters.

"Where do you think you're going?" Wufei sneered.

"Out. Try and stop me, and I'll kill you."

"J ordered me to care for you." Hiiro spoke for the first time. 

"Tell him I left." She looked up, as if she were expecting to see something in the sky. The boys followed her gaze, and were shocked to see what they were. Each blinked thrice before believing their eyes were not playing tricks upon them. Up in the sky was a multi-colored orb of light. "He'll understand." 

"No. You cannot leave." Hiiro forbade. J had given him a mission, and he would never fail.

"I am. Nimbus!" She yelled out. Again the boys were set spinning into amazement when a cloud appeared and the girl before them leapt onto it. Just as it lifted, Hiiro knocked himself out of shock and made a diving grab for the girl on the cloud. "Hiiro, no!" She yelled, but it was too late. The anomaly already had them in its grip. Together, the two were sucked into a mesmerizing roller coaster, where the would end up, neither knew.*

~~~**How** is this? Everyone **satisfied**? Much better than the **first** time, right? I promise the **romance** is coming, but first, a little **Yu**-**Yu** Hakusho! Email and **review**!- Vixen~~~ rix13rix@aol.com! 


	10. Explaination of Worlds

Chapter Ten: Explanation of Worlds 

*Their landing was not the easiest either of them had ever experienced. Both landed face down in the dirt, and as they sat up, they began spitting out the dirt.

"That is the last time I take a partner with me, accidental or not." Sai muttered under her breath so Hiiro wouldn't be able to hear her. 

"What was that? And were are we?" He asked, ignoring her shoddy mood.

"Doesn't matter. We can't go back." Hiiro's eyes shot open. What the hell did she mean, couldn't go back? Who was she? Well, regardless of who she was, this self- questioning was pointless and it would never accomplish anything. Yes, brute force was a much better option at this point in the game. Reaching behind him, he pulled his reliable weapon out and aimed directly for her heart.

"What do you mean, 'we can't go back?'" Slightly surprised, she hid her emotions well enough so he detected no change in her demeanor.

"I meant what I said. Until another porthole like that opens, we can't go anywhere; we're stuck here in this world."

"World?"

"A separate Earth; one where different decisions in history caused a different set of events to change their future. Your world is different from the one I originally came from, just as this one is going to be different from both mine and yours." She tried to explain. There was no point in hiding it any longer.

"You weren't born in my world?"

"No. I was born in a world without such technology, without public wars. My world, however, did consist of magic, something I have found rare in others as of yet."

"No such thing."

"Denial isn't just a river Yui. Grow up and accept the facts. Look at what you've just gone through, look at where you are now, and tell me magic doesn't exist."

"It doesn't exist."

"Very well. Have it your way. You're only along for the ride, just remember that."

"Hnn. I'm here to take care of you, J's orders."

"The old man is getting senile. He's forgotten I need no protection- in fact, those who come into contact with me are the ones who are in need of your care."

"I-" As Hiiro began to speak again; he was cut off by a loud yell of rage.

"Put it down! Put it down now!" The two fighters turned to watch as a large teenager in a school uniform chased a very short teenager in black down the street. In fact, they were headed straight for them…

"You want it Kuabara? Come and get it!" The short one called behind him. He had a nasty grin on his face. When he saw that two unusual looking people blocked his path, he simply stopped and allowed the larger redheaded teenager to catch up to him. Breathing heavily, the boy now named Kuabara stopped as well.

"Give it back Hie! It didn't do anything to you!"

"But you refused to fight me otherwise. I think it's a fair trade." Sai watched the interlude closely. The shorter boy in black was clutching a very tiny object delicately in his death grip. The larger boy looked as if he would have a heart attack if the other boy's cargo was injured in any way. Was this the reason she had been sent to this world? To help this boy regain what the other had stolen? Well, she wouldn't know until she tried.

"It is not fair when you blackmail your opponent into a battle. If he goes unwillingly, he will not put as much energy and heart into fighting you, and then you truly deprive yourself of the fight you wish." 

The two boys looked at her as if she were a three-headed dog. Each sense a strange power emanating from her, neither could tell whether it was a positive or negative aura. They turned around as four others joined them, two teenage boys and two girls the same age. Nodding in greeting, now all six turned to stare at the new comers.

"Guys, there's something strange about her."

"Are you sure Kuabara? Or is this just you being over sensitive about you precious kitty cat?" One of the new ones laughed. The shorter teenager in black smirked.

"No, Kuabara is right, there's something not quite right about her." One of the girls stepped forward. Sai noted her strange ki as well. Her aqua hair and calm disposition reminded her of Michiru.

"What do you mean?" The other girl asked. 

"She's not… right. Not evil per say, but she has a shrouded aura that creates a cloud of suspicion about her." 

"Kurama, you know I don't like it when you get all philosophical!" Kuabara whined.

"Yes, well, I believe this girl just insulted me. Said I was blackmailing the big red oaf into a fight."

"You were." The Michiru look alike reprimanded. 

"Even so. She shouldn't have spoken if she didn't have enough guts to fight me herself."

"What gives you the idea I don't? I simply felt the need to inform you you could potentially have a better fight if your partner was more willing." Hiiro had long since stepped back into the shadows and was watching. What did Sai think she was going to pull here? Well, If she got herself injured, he wasn't going to be the on to tend to her wounds.

"Well then. Perhaps you would be a more willing sparing partner than that blabbermouth fool."

"I resent that half pint!" Kuabara yelled in the background.

"Very well. If it is a fight that will satisfy you, then it is a fight you shall have. The stakes?"

"I win, and I take your life." 

"No! Hie, that is far too high of a stake! You don't know anything about her!" the Michiru look alike yelled.

"No, his stakes are fine. Very well. If you win, you will have the pleasure of killing me. However. If I win, I wish for two small things. One, you return what you stole from your 'blabbermouth fool' of a friend, and second, I receive your names."

"Seem like fair stakes to me. Let's go!" Hie shoved what he was carrying into one of his friend's hands.

"Hold this until our fight is complete." Then they went at it.

"No!" Both of the girls cried. Neither liked the idea of this fight. But it was too late. Hie made a graceful punch directly into Sai's stomach. But when she wasn't fazed, he tried again. And again. And again. Finally, after he had tried an all out punch attack, Sai caught one of his hands and, using his own weight against him, flipped him. But Hie countered easily. Stepping up his speed, he began putting more effort into it, and Sai began her own attacks. For a moment she had a flashback of fighting Vegeta. Hie's short and compact build reminded her of the Saijin, and his fighting style was much the same in the desperation but surety with which each punch was thrown. 

As the fight excelled, Hie found himself fighting at his maximum speed- and still the girl was able to keep up with him. She had taken many punches without flinching, but simply because she could stomach a punch didn't mean she wasn't going to tire eventually. He would just wear her down and then strike hard. That was one of the perks of being a demon; he didn't tire as quickly as humans. But he found himself wondering, if she had this much power, was she human?

The fight lasted for several more minutes. Then Hie decided to break the unmentioned code between the fighters. Drawing his sword to protests from his comrades, he moved to finish Sai off illegally using a weapon. But he was most unpleasantly surprised to find that his sword was countered with a large broad sword wielded by the girl. Half turn; quarter crescent slash, jab, and their hilts locked. Throwing the swords aside, Hie lost his temper for the last time. Unveiling his third eye, he tried in vain to catch Sai.

"Enough games." She growled at him. Bringing her wrists together, she built up a very small amount of energy- she didn't want to kill him, just put him in his place. As he shot his last amount of energy at her, her own shot of energy engulfed his easily. All of Hie's comrades and Hiiro watched as Sai's blast absorbed Hie's energy and spat it right back at him, knocking him off his feet and hard into the wall behind him. 

"Nice." Hiiro grunted from behind her. She could feel the cool metal of his gun poised at her neck. "What are you- Sai?"

"I'm something else all together." She shuddered in her own self- revulsion. "Now put that away gun boy, before you scare the rest of these people."

"Hnn." He grunted. But he did put the gun away. What else could he do? After seeing her in action, he was sure that he would lose in a fight against her. Where had she learned that light attack? Further more, where had the other guy learned the same sort of attack? He felt as if he were missing out on a huge portion of something, but he didn't know what.

"You defeated me. Not many can say that. You are worthy of my respect." Hie bowed his head slightly.

"Well, that's nice to know. But I believe we had terms set. Give the big red head his… whatever it was… and give me your names."

"Yeah! Give me back-"

"Here's your stupid kitty cat!" Hie grabbed the cat and half tossed it, half handed it to Kuabara.

"A cat?" Hiiro whispered to himself. Sai shrugged, apparently having heard him.

"Who knows?" She answered back.

"Well." The woman who looked so much like Michiru spoke up. "Since Hie promised to provide you with names as part of the deal, let me introduce us all. I'm Photon, and these are our friends. The tall red head with the cat is Kuabara, the other red head is our friend Kurama, the one with the black hair closest to Kuabara is Yuske, and this Yuske's girlfriend, Keiko. Oh, and the one sulking in the back, your sparring partner, that's Hie."

"Photon! She's not my girlfriend!" The one name Yuske went red in the face and began spouting denials. 

"Yuske!" Keiko cried.

"Oh..." He groaned. "Keiko, please don't cry! You know I can't stand it when you're mad at me! Come on, it was just a joke, honestly!"

"You do mean it! You've said it enough times! Oh, I don't even know why I put up with you for so long!"

"You put with him because you lo…" 

"Photon!" Yuske yelled, breaking off her sentence before it got too far.

"Well, it's true! I mean, she's not your weakest point for no reason!"

"As interesting as this is, I want to know who she is!" Hie broke in.

"Yes. I wish to know as well." Kurama said. "You have great strength for one so strange. Are you a demon?"

"Demon? No. I am called Sai."

"And your boyfriend? What is his name?" Photon asked. Sai and Hiiro went bright pink.

"He is nothing of the sort. It is an accident that he is here in the first place. However. His name is Hiiro Yui."

"Charmed. So then you two are just as bad and Yuske and Keiko. Why is it that everyone seems to care to deny their feelings?"

"She and I have no relationship." Hiiro cut in bluntly. Retracting his gun, he shoved it into the closest holster and glared darkly at the entire group. 

"And neither do Keiko and I." Yuske added, trying to duplicate Hiiro's nasty eyes. He almost succeeded. Photon stepped back slowly as the two angry men glowered. Sai reached out and easily grabbed Hiiro's arm, yanking him back behind her.

"Where did Hie learn the ki blasts he used? Or his speed? Five of you have more than human abilities." The group looked uncomfortable.

"We have special talents is all." Photon waved her off. As she spoke, a beep came from her pocket. She sighed. This was not going well. But she could not ignore a summon from Kuwenma, so she took out her pocket communicator and opened it up.

"Hello Photon." A high, raspy voice rang out. The group gathered around to see what was going on.

"And hello Yuske. I'm afraid I have another job for you all."

"Another one? We just finished the last one a week ago!" Yuske whined.

"Yuske Yuremeshi! You were given the task of spirit detector, so stop whining, grow up, and pay attention!" The voice paused and breathed in heavily, catching breath. "Now then. The demon Hikaru has escaped this world, so your job is to find him and take him down."

"Another demon? Sounds like fun." Kuabara joked.

"Yes. Another. Still, we will be prepared." Kurama nodded in agreement.

"Well. I'll let you get to it, and be careful!" Kuwenma finished. As Photon put away her communicator, Yuske began to question her.

"Who is this guy anyway Photon?"

"Hikaru is the spirit world's foremost leading expert in spirit energy attacks. He had been on the side of good up until three years ago, when a demon beat him. After that, he became obsessed with figuring out how to defeat the enemy. He eventually did defeat the demon, but liked the fighting so much he decided to just… stay evil. Anyway, he has some of the strongest spirit attacks ever created. We'll need to be very careful around him Yuske."

"No sweat. I'll have him beat in a few minutes once we find him."

"Who said you would be the one to fight him? I think I want to try him on for size, see how well he can do against my spirit sword!" Kuabara announced.

"I will be taking on this demon." Hie broke through Kuabara's ranting.

"You just lost to a strange girl! And you think your ready to take this demon on? I don't think so. I'm taking this demon one on one, end of discussion!" Yuske yelled.

"Stop arguing!" Keiko shouted over the noise. "Why don't you all find this thing, this demon, together, and then decide who's going to fight it?" She suggested. 

"Keiko has a good idea." Photon said. "I think you should follow her idea."

"Fine." Yuske sighed. This was it, now or never.

"Mind if I join you?" Sai stepped up to bat. *


	11. The Demon Hikaru's Ki

Chapter Eleven: The Demon's Hikaru's Ki 

*"What? You? Join us? Why?" Hie spat.

"Now wait a minute. You beat Hie in a fight, and now you want to join us demon hunting? We don't even know if we can trust you." Yuske said.

"No, you don't know. And you won't. Unless you allow me to join you."

"This fight is not for beginners." Kurama said, trying to be neutral.

"I beat Hie without breaking too much of a sweat. I'll manage." Sai told them.

"No way! She can't fight with us!" Hie yelled. 

"I think you should give her a chance. After all, she did beat Hie. That means she's strong enough." Photon added.

"Well. It's two against and one for. Why not make this a vote. Keiko, Kuabara, Kurama? What do you think?" Yuske said.

" I think you should let her go. If she wanted to hurt you, wouldn't she have already done it?" Keiko said. 

"I'm undecided." Kuabara stated. "She got me back my cat, but can we trust her?"

"I think we should let her go. Her aura is not evil, just clouded by darkness. She could potentially be of great help to us." Kurama stated, after looking Sai up and down for a moment. She hadn't appreciated his thorough and intense eyes as they seemingly looked through her and into her soul. Frankly, it frightened her.

"Fine. It's four against three. Kuabara? You're the last one. Decide- yes, or no?" Yuske pushed.

"I chose… for. She did save the cat after all. And I don't feel anything bad about her. But I do feel something bad coming from the direction of the movie theatre!" 

"Right. Go then! We'll see you there later." Photon yelled.

"You're not coming?" Hiiro asked.

"Not yet. Keiko and I wait for these four to do all the hard work from the sidelines. We're not fighters, just helpers and bystanders who happen to know what's going on."

"And we usually end up patching up their cuts and bruises when they're done being careless." Keiko added, frowning. 

"Aw, Keiko, we've gotten better, haven't we?" Yuske joked. 

"Yeah, much better! We don't come nearly so close to dying any more." Kuabara laughed.

"Really funny guys, really funny. But next time you get injured, maybe we won't be there to help with all of your cuts. How would you like that?" Photon added.

"No! Really, we'd miss you! We need you!" Kuabara yelled.

"Stop fooling around, there's a demon on the loose!" Hie screamed at all of them.

"Right. Let's go!" And off they went. Sai and Hiiro ran behind them, easily able to keep up. As they ran, Sai wondered how Hiiro was going to adjust to being stuck in this world with her. Or any world. She couldn't very well leave him behind- she would feel guilty. And what of one day she returned to his world and didn't have him. But would he be helpful to her in any way? She knew he had an uncanny ability to fight where he was from, but compared to other fighters she had met, he was weak. Even compared to her he was weak. But what enraged her the most was the thought that now she was once again stuck with a partner, a partner that would eventually leave her, or worse... betray her. 

As Hiiro ran, he kept his feelings aside, but couldn't help the thoughts that entered his mind. Slowly they seeped in, until he could no longer deny that he needed time to mull over the new situation he found himself in. His mission had been to take care of Sai, for Doctor J. But now he found out that she could care for herself very much better than he ever could, and more than that. But he was stuck with her, in a place she claimed was another world. After the lightshow he had just seen, he was quite amused to think that perhaps her theory of other worlds was not quite so far fetched. But who was she? How did she learn such powers? Could he learn? So many questions were left rattling in his brain, but he could not ask any of them yet. It would take a while to build courage enough to even speak to her politely, instead of his usual gruff personality. 

As the group of six ran down the streets, people stopped to stare at them and their determined faces. Finally they reached the movie theatre and the scene wasn't pretty, as they had expected. The movie theatre looked as if it had been part of a demolition site. The top corner of the building had been blown to pieces, and the front was nearly caved in. The group could see people's arms reaching through the debris that clogged the door, hoping someone would come to their rescue. But no one did. They were all too frightened of what had caused the mess in the first place- a man in a dark trench coat who stood across the street grinning. 

"That must be…"

"Yes fools! I am the master fighter of spirit energy, the demon Hikaru." He yelled.

"What do you want from us?" Kuabara yelled.

"Yeah! If you knew we would be here to stop you, why did you come here in the first place?" Yuske added.

"Because I, like so many others, pride myself on being the best. But when word of the new and powerful spirit detector on Earth reached me, I began to plan a trip. I wanted to challenge you, you see. And now that the ex-demons Kurama and Hie have joined your fighting alliance, I wish more than ever to fight you."

"Well. If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get." Yuske cried back.

"Allow me." Hie charged their new opponent. 

"Hie!" Kurama cried. "Watch out for his attacks!" But there was no answer. They sat back to watch the fight. Some of Hikaru's energy attacks were much like the ones Sai had witnessed when watching Vegita, Goku, and Mirai Trunks spar. Even Piccalo and Gohan had many of the same techniques. Soon Hie was overpowered, and knocked-out. Kuabara stepped up to bat as Yuske and Kurama ran to revive their injured comrade. But something caught Hiiro's attention.

"Sai, the people in the theatre. They're civilians, and if we don't rescue them, the building might collapse in on them. They would die for no reason."

"Right then." She took one more look at the fight. Kuabara was severely burned by an attack, and now Kurama was having his turn at the beast. "While they fight, let's get the people out of there." They ran towards the building, each calculating in their own minds how to pick apart the debris in a way that wouldn't create a cave in on the other side. Both began pulling away at the cement, metal, brick, and rubble in an unspoken agreement. They needed no words between them, what they were doing was simply understood, as if it was a dance both already knew the steps to. 

Finally they made a major break through- as they both pulled away at two large stones, the rest of the rubble tumbled down with them and made a hole large enough for the people to squeeze through. First people sent their children, youngest to oldest. Then teenagers, and finally the men and women climbed out. As Hiiro set the last person on the ground, Yuske's beaten body flung over their heads and into the movie theatre wall behind them. 

"See? I told them there was no match for me in the world! I knew I could not possibly be beaten by such a weak boy!" The demon screamed.

"Mommy, who is that? He's so ugly!" A little boy shouted.

"Ugly? Ugly? I'll give you ugly you little twerp!" The demon shot a beam of energy towards the innocent child. Yuske was coming to, but he wasn't nearly ready to stand and protect the child. So Sai did. She stepped right in front of the energy. As it hit neared her, she raised her arm and simply batted it away, as Mirai had taught her to do to Vegita's attacks.

"What?" The demon muttered. "Who are you?"

"Sai. He didn't know any better, and you still attacked him." She told him calmly.

"So? And I'll do the same to you!"

"Go right ahead." She taunted.

"Fine!" With that, the demon shot a large beam of energy directly at her. Sai pushed the boy into his mother's arms and simply told them to run. She herself locked her wrists together and called out loud:

"Burning attack!" Her energy met his and the beams battled for a while. "Enough." Sai muttered. She pulled her writs back, allowing his beam to gain the upper hand. Then, without warning, she pushed her beam hard directly back. The chain reaction caused had the desired effects- the demon's own energy traveled back towards him and knocked him off his feet.

"What? How did you…? Never mind. Now I'm mad. This will surely get rid of you!" With that, the demon began to gather energy from himself. Sai closed her eyes and concentrated, as Mirai had taught her. 

"What are you doing?" Hiiro asked from his position. It hadn't changed since the fight had begun.

"I'm sensing his ki, his level of power. A friend taught me."

"What is it?" She concentrated a little harder.

"Large, but I've seen ten times worse. It's around one thousand. That's nearly child's play back home."

"And what is yours?"

"Mine? Somewhere in the region of eighteen thousand. Very low where I learned to fight, but enough to keep up." Soon the demon had all the energy he wanted in a giant ball. 

"This is for you!" He cried, throwing it full speed. 

"Thanks, but I don't want it!" She yelled back. She managed to get off a shot of her own large enough to block his. It caused a great explosion in mid air. Then, raising her hand to the sky, called out a few words. Instantly, a small disk of energy appeared. It grew and grew, until it was a dangerous spinning disk. When she felt it was ready, she aimed and threw it, directly at Hikaru the demon. Unable to block it, the demon ended up in two slices as the energy that had hit him dissipated into thin air.

"You, you did it! You got rid of him!" Yuske hobbled over to her.

"Yes. Now you can send it back where it came from."

"Right. Photon?" Yuske called out unsure.

"I'm here! Keiko's looking after the others. Did you catch Hikaru then?"

"I cut him into two." Sai answered.

"That's great!"

"No Photon. She really means she cut him into two." Yuske laughed slightly, then groaned because of pain. At the same time, he managed to point out the demon, who's carcass was still lying in two pieces on the black cement of the dirty road.

"Oh my. Well, I'm sure he won't be too much of a problem anymore."

"No, he won't."

"Sai, look at your hands." Hiiro pointed out. When she looked down, she looked away immediately. They were covered in blisters and sores, as if she had been burned very badly. 

"When I blocked his attack it must have happened."

"Let Keiko look at those, they're really bad. Besides, she good with medicine." Photon insisted.

"I…" Just then her face was lit up with the swirling colors of the rainbow. "Hiiro, look up." She said, forgetting her hands.

"The rift. Where will it take us this time Sai?"

"I don't know. Care to try your luck with me again?"

"Yes."

"Good." She stated. Then she turned. "Nimbus!" She called. As the cloud came, she grabbed Hiiro and jumped on.

"Where are you going?" Photon yelled.

"Wherever we end up!" Sai yelled back.

"Well, thank you for the help!" 

"You're welcome!" Were her last words before they were once again dragged into the mist of the rip in the fabric of space. *


	12. Friend of Foe?

Chapter Twelve: Friend or Foe? 

*She sat on the cliffs as the waves crashed on the rocks next to her. Two days since their return to her Gundam world- and the vacation she had left behind, she was already restless. Once Sally Po had checked her over and made sure her injuries were completely healed, she had been detained for questioning by Lady Une, head of the Preventers. 

It had taken a while to explain the dimensional rifts to everyone, but once they had the general idea, they had taken to it quickly. Instead of convicting her for killing and destruction of private property, her charges had been dropped because she worked for Doctor J. She didn't quite understand why that would get her out of the justice system, but as long as she wasn't in jail, she didn't care. 

After all of the important legal papers had been completed, Quatre had asked her to stay at his home in the Sanq Kingdom sea cliffs for her vacation. Without anywhere else to go, she had grudgingly accepted. However, after only two days, the routine was too predictable. 

She, Trowa, and Hiiro were always the first awake, and the last to bed each day. Quatre made breakfast, lunch and dinner every time, and Duo goofed off while Wufei was either trying to kill him or focus on his kata of the day. As for herself, Trowa, and Hiiro, Trowa spent a good deal of time with his girlfriend, Catherine. She was a nice girl, and had told Sai right off the bat that she should call her Cathy, but Sai stuck with Catherine for some odd reason. Hiiro spent most of his time either away, or in his room, constantly typing on his laptop. He reminded her of her self, never wanting to stop work, for fear the world would once again be ruled be chaos after two days of a break. This was one of those precious moments where Sai wasn't working, but just lazing around. 

"Tide's coming in." Sai turned, surprised to see Hiiro standing next to her on the rocky cliffs. " Soon, this rock will be under water."

"Well then, I guess I'll be getting wet tonight, won't I?" She responded, not making eye contact, but instead gazing out into the mists.

"Are you cold?" Hiiro had been keeping a close eye on Sai since she had moved in with them. He saw how she worked just like he did, how she showed no consideration for her lack of feelings or other's reaction to it. 

Earlier, he had seen her go down to the cliffs and waited for her return by Quatre's rose garden, which was situated right above where she had gone down. When she didn't return after the sun set, he went down to find her. When he found her, she looked to be deep in thought, and obviously didn't notice the water that was creeping in, closer to her and the rock she was perched upon. Now that he was close enough, he saw her shiver, and worried that she would get sick if she stayed out too late and was too cold.

"Not much." She answered. Hiiro took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. It wasn't that cold to him, but she was obviously colder than she was letting on.

"You've been down here for a while. Why?" He asked her, trying to start a conversation. He liked her voice, even if it did have a distant and cold ring to it.

"I was thinking of my friend, Michi-chan. The ocean reminded me of her. She used to love it so much." Her voice became wistful, and she forgot for a moment her cold attitude and simply lived in her memories. "When I thought of her, I thought of her best friend and my friend Ruka–chan. When that got me thinking, I thought of all my other friends and family. And my home- I wonder… has anything changed?" She had been thinking of home more lately, and was beginning to feel homesick for the first time since she had left. 

"You still have family? Why aren't you with them now?" Hiiro thought it was a simple and logical question. 

"My, my, getting brave and personal, aren't you?" She snapped at him. "I'll tell you why. What's left of my family, I haven't seen since I my eleventh birthday. As for my friends, I could care less about them now days. End of story, so just go away, I'm not answer anymore questions from you tonight."

Hiiro, confused with the answer, went on: "They disowned you for fighting in the war?" He already regretted asking that. Of course she hadn't seen her parents since she was eleven, she had gone through the dimensional rift. She was stuck away from them.

"They might have, if they even lived around here, but no. They might have if they were even conscious." Hiiro heard that and stopped pushing the subject. So her parents were, well, unconscious? That confused him even more, but he didn't want to push her on the subject anymore.

"Why did you change your appearance back to the darker version?" He switched.

"Because. I'm not very scary as a tiny blued-eyed blonde. Being scary and intimidating is extremely helpful in our line of work, incase you hadn't noticed." She saw him move towards her throat and pull the pin, changing her back into Serena. 

"I like this version more though. This is the real you. Before you fought, did you talk more?"

"Did you?" She countered.

"I've been a soldier as long as I can remember. I was raised by an assassin, so I have always acted like one."

"I used to talk a lot. And laugh, and smile. I don't any more."

" Because there's nothing to smile about. You're a murderer."

"Right." She glanced at him. For once, his face was peaceful, not hard. He looked out towards sea, and then, in her direction. Their eyes locked.

"But you help people- you kill to save. Don't you ever get tired of fighting like the world depends only upon your victories?" He pushed.

"All the time. Since before I started. You feel the same way, don't you."

"All the time." With that, both of them became lost within each other's eyes and drew closer towards each other. Then, as quickly as the mood had been set, it was broken by a wave crashing down upon the two. When it was all over, and they had caught their breaths, Hiiro smiled a wide grin at her, and Sai returned the smile.

"You just smiled." He said.

"So did you, Hii-kun."

"Hii-kun? Getting bold and personal, now aren't we?" He said, mocking her earlier comments.

"So what?" She smirked. " Do me a favor?"

"Huh?"

"Don't call me Sai."

"Why's that?"

"My real name is Serena Usagi Tsukino. I'd prefer Serry- it's a nick name of mine."

"Who were you, before the war? What was your original world like?" He asked. Now that she was opening up, he wanted to know more about her, the real her. He listened as she told him about the craziest things; monsters and demons, witches and talking cats. He heard how her mother died and father and brother were in a coma. He heard she tried to kill herself and how she became to be known as Sai. She also told him about the Dragon world and the Bebop world. Though it all sounded so crazy, he believed her. What else could he do? She told it so innocently, so plainly that he had no choice. He himself had seen her fight; he knew it was possible. When she was done, she was nearly in tears. 

As Serena told her story to Hiiro, all the built up pain and emotions she had chained behind locked gates slipped through her, and tears over took her eyes. She cried and cried, with Hiiro holding onto her all the while. After a while, Hiiro looked down to the sleeping girl in his arms. She wasn't a killer by nature, but had been thrown into the fights unwillingly. But she had swum, not sunk, and now she was done with all of her fighting. He picked her up carefully, so as not to wake her, and was surprised that she barely weighed anything. He had carried monster guns that weighed more than she did. As he carried her into the house, the other five pilots looked up and each made a remark as to the extraordinary scene.

"Yui, why are you carrying her?" Trowa asked him.

"Hiiro, is she alright?" Asked Quatre.

"Go Hiiro! I hope she doesn't kill you for touching her in the morning!" Joked Duo.

"I never thought you'd get sucked in by a girl Yui. I never did." Was Wufei's remark as he shook his head.

"Be quiet, or you'll wake her up. And if you do that, I won't care if she kills you. And I haven't fallen for or been sucked in by any girl." Was Hiiro's reply to all the others. Without stopping, he carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom. Kissing her forehead, he said good night softly and left her to her dreams.

)(

As Serena, the real, blonde haired blued eyed Serena, left her room that morning, she ran into Hiiro, who was leaving his room right across the hall. They stared at each other for a moment, then Serena gave way and smiled brightly at him.

Hiiro wanted to talk to her again, but he hadn't expected to see her first thing. While the staring contest between the two raged, he suddenly saw her break into a full blown smile. She looked beautiful beyond belief when she smiled, more so than she had ever looked before. The smile was infectious, and soon he was smiling widely too. Randomly, she broke into laughter.

Quatre woke to hear a strange noise in the hall way. He had never heard the likes of which in his home, except for from Duo, and occasionally himself. He heard laughing. It wasn't Duo, he was sure, because Duo didn't usually wake up until eleven, and it certainly wasn't him. 

Just then a knock on his door brought him out of his reverie. Trowa and Wufei, who had adjoining rooms to his, knocked on his door and let themselves in. They gave Quatre a questioning look, and he had to shake his head. Then, a new laugh joined the first, This one was rich and deep, a good compliment to the light, almost fairy-ish one that had sounded first. They ran to the door to peek out and see who was laughing. What they saw nearly gave them a heart attack. 

In the hall stood Sai and Hiiro, both laughing hysterically at one another. Suddenly, the door across the hall, Duo's door, opened and he too, saw the laughing scene. Quatre watched as Duo's eye's bugged out of their sockets when he saw the two seemingly unfeeling Perfect Soldiers laughing like they always did it.

"Oh my God! Hiiro! Sai! You're smiling! You're even laughing! And me without a camera!" Cried Duo. The laughter stopped. The two turned to face the four people down the hall, which were watching them with great interest. Then, they turned to face each other, nodded to each other, and went back into their respective rooms, without some much as a smirk on their faces. 

"Maxwell, you spoiled the moment. Yui was almost normal for a change. Idiot!" Then Wufei went into the hall and into his own room. Trowa followed in suit, and Quatre shut his own door, leaving Duo alone in the hall. Just what was going on between Sai and Hiiro?

Hiiro scaled the wall with the greatest of ease. Once he reached the top, he found the balcony doors open, so he entered. He heard the shower running and sat down on the arm chair in the corner of the room to wait for Sai to finish. Ten minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom, clad in nothing but a towel. Her long blonde hair was down and dry, cascading in waves over her damp shoulders. She grinned at Hiiro, who grinned back. 

"Want to go out to eat, or face the others?" She asked him, picking out her clothes and going behind a screen to change.

"I'm broke of cash. We have no choice,"

"But if Maxwell tries something, I swear I'll ki blast him so he can't have any kids… ever." She stepped out from behind the screen in clothing atypical to her style. Jean shorts and an oversized white t-shirt with a Japanese character for luck printed on the back. 

"I'll laugh." With that, the two left the room and went down to breakfast.

)(

The last four weeks had been the most relaxed in Hiiro's life. He spoke, smiled, and even laughed occasionally, but never around the other boys. He and Serena had become close friends, and the only time both of them dropped their guard was when they were together. Sai had reverted back to her original appearance, but only when she had Hiiro were alone. Life was nice for a change. It couldn't get better. Nothing could ruin their lives.

"What are you thinking about?" Serena asked him. They were sitting comfortably on the lawn behind Quatre's house.

"Just thinking how calm everything has been lately. And you?"

"Same." Just then, a multicolored blotch appeared in the sky right above them. Hiiro looked at the sky, knowing full-well what it was.

"The dimensional rift! It's back!" She looked at Hiiro, who suddenly had a dark cloud over his face. She realized why. If she went through, she might never see him again. But it was her only way home. Since their night on the cliffs, she had been getting more and more homesick, and a bad feeling when she thought about how she had just up and left everything at home. She wanted to go home so badly, but it would mean leaving Hiiro, her best and only friend, her truest confidant.

Hiiro couldn't believe it. The war was over. He was finally having a relaxing vacation, and he finally had a friend whom he could trust completely. It wasn't that he couldn't trust the other boys; it was just that he felt so much closer to Serena than them for some reason. He was beginning to talk, to share things he hadn't told anyone- ever. He liked having her around to laugh with. She was fun, and brightened his day. And now she was leaving him. How would he go on without her with him? Could he ever adjust to life without her? He had to, for her. She needed to go home, otherwise she would always regret missing her last chance, and it would be his fault.

"Serry, go. Find your home." Though it took ever ounce of will power had had to say it, he knew he had to support her decisions. He knew she had been homesick. It was the only way.

"And leave you here on your own? You'd revert back into all work and no play."

"Serry, you'll never forgive yourself if you don't go."

"I haven't said goodbye to the others yet. I can't leave."

" Serry…"

"Come with me. I want to go home, but it would feel wrong without you around. I need you. But I need to leave. Come with me." Hiiro thought it over. A new world. He could start fresh, live in peace. No more fighting, or stereotypes about him because he was the Perfect Soldier. A real home. But what about the boys? And peace here? It was still fragile, and if another war broke out, who would fight it? Hiiro didn't notice the other boys had come out of the house and joined them staring at the rift. By the time he came out of his reverie however, he noticed they were looking sadly at him, as if they already knew what his answer to Serena's question would be.

"Hiiro." Said Trowa. "Go. You know the drill. Live on your emotions."

"We'll take care of peace here, Hiiro, go." Added Quatre.

"It'll be dull without the daily gun aimed at my head, but go Hiiro, Trowa's right, just do it!"

"Yui, take care of your woman. She needs a strict hand to keep her in order. Go with her." Was Wufei's simple reply.

"Hiiro. Please come with me?" She paused. "The rift is closing." Her last words settled it. No one she was going anywhere without him. His last mission had been to care for her, and that was exactly what he was going to do. 

"Let's go." He nodded. Then he turned to his friends. "Thank you all."

"No problem Hiiro. We're friends, that's what friends do." Quatre smiled. In fact, they all smiled. Hiiro nodded and blinked back tears. His emotions were too annoying sometimes.

" Well, thanks. Don't let any radical groups gain an upper hand with you, and keep training. Duo, Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, good luck." Serena smiled at him. Then she surprised the other by turning and hugging each of them, whispering in theirs ears her goodbyes. Then she turned away.

"Nimbus!" She cried. She held onto Hiiro's arm, and when the cloud came close enough, she jumped on it as it zoomed into the rift. *


	13. Making Amends With Old Friends

Chapter Thirteen: Making Amends With Old Friends

*For the first time the cloud came through the rift with them and gently placed them on the ground. As the two looked around, they found themselves immersed in a beautiful forest. There was a large lake to their left, and giant mountains close by. Above head they could see the blue sky. And a large pterodactyl dinosaur wheeling above them. They paused. A large _what_? 

"Wait." Serena said carefully.

"Recognize it?" Hiiro asked in awe.

"There was one place I visited that had dinosaurs still living. They even lived peacefully with the humans and their society."

"Really?"

"Yes. But if we're where I think we are, I'm going to go back to Sai, and then try something, alright?"

"You're speaking vaguely. I don't appreciate being kept in the dark." Hiiro responded.

"I'm sorry. Just trust me."

"I do."

"Right." She nodded, then pulled the pin out of her pocket and replaced it in the canister on her chocker. Slowly her body morphed and her form became larger and bulkier. Her hair became shorter and darker until it was black, and her eyes darkened to purple. Sai was born once more. Hiiro shuddered. He hated her eyes when they were purple. A while back he had noted that when they were lavender she was happy, but when they were royal purple, she was angry beyond belief. He never wanted to see her eyes that dark again- it physically hurt him to watch her that angry.

"Serry?" He asked. 

"Sai now."

"Your eyes are dark."

"I'm sorry Hii-kun." Her eyes quickly lightened. "I was just remembering a few things I did last time I was here that I'm not very proud of."

"Where are we?"

"The Dragon world. I think. Hold on, I'm going to check for a familiar ki. If I'm right, it should be close by." She closed her eyes and concentrated. In her mind the power levels surged brightly. She hardly even had to focus to feel them. "I was right, this is it. Nimbus!" She called the cloud again. As she and Hiiro jumped on the cloud, she began to explain it to him.

"You see, this is where I first came after my suicide attempt. The first strange world I ever came to. The people here were friendly, they took me in and cared for me."

"And they taught you to fight." Hiiro added.

"Yes, they did." She could see his eyes cloud over. Her own darkened. "But I wanted to learn. Remember that. I brought it upon myself." She gave a short laugh painfully. "And in the process I destroyed a wonderful friendship that could have saved me a lot of pain."

"Serry, I…" Hiiro began. But he stopped mid-sentence when they cleared the trees and were met with a group of large, strong looking men who were floating in mid air, none of which looked too pleased.

"Hold it! Who are you?" One of the larger, middle aged ones yelled at her. 

"Gohan! Stop!" Sai yelled out to them. "It's me, Sai!"

"Sai?" Another man with lavender hair called. As the cloud landed, Hiiro jumped off, and Sai followed. She noticed he was fingering his gun, but said nothing. He was nervous? Hiiro was rarely nervous. 

"Mirai!" She called in response.

"It is her! Sai!" He cried. Dropping to the ground, he ran out to meet her. Catching her in a huge hug, he flung her around. She remained stiff, simply allowed him to do so. When he put her down, she lightly grinned. 

"Hello Mirai." She paused. "Gohan, Goku, Vegeta, Piccalo, Krillin. It's good to see you all again. Who are your three new members?" 

"Is that all you can say? We haven't seen you for twelve years, and all of a sudden you come waltzing back here, looking identical to the way you did the day you left, and all you can say is it's good to see us again?" Mirai Trunks laughed.

"Well. It hasn't been twelve years for me. But I suppose if it had been that long I would be just as ecstatic as you are now." She laughed briefly. Hiiro's eyes narrowed. She was relaxed around these people if she was laughing as she was. She must trust them a great deal. Well. When he learned to trust them, maybe he would laugh too. But until then, they were strangers and were not to be trusted. 

"Not been twelve years? How long has it been for you?" Goku asked.

"Four and a half. I'm only sixteen- well, nearly seventeen."

"Who is she Mirai?" Someone Sai didn't recognize asked.

"Pan, this is Sai. I found her twelve years ago washed down the river. Bulma and I took care of her for a while, and after that, Gohan finished her education and Vegeta and I taught her to fight. Sai, this is Pan, Gohan and Videl's daughter. And the two others you don't recognize, those are Trunks and Goten all grown up."

"Wow. It's good to see you again Trunks, Goten. And nice to meet you Pan." She paused. "Videl? As in Gohan's girlfriend, Sataan's daughter?"

"That's my mom." Pan spoke up.

"Go Gohan." Sai smirked. "Never figured he'd have the guts." Laughter echoed through the edge of the woods. 

"So who's that then?" Goten asked.

"This is Hiiro Yui. He's a friend."

"Sure… never knew you had the guts Sai!" Gohan shot back. His face was still red.

"I have plenty of guts. But I was serious when I said we were friends." She responded. An awkward silence followed, no one knowing quite what to say. It was just so strange, seeing their friend after so long. And Sai had changed. When she had first met them, she had been so sweet and innocent. And when she left them, she had been cold and unforgiving. But now it looked like her anger had been harnessed and her hard exterior was beginning to break down once more. Had she taken all twelve of their years, all four of her years, to make this much progress? How long would it take her before she became her old self again? Would she ever? The silence was so strained that even Vegeta had no snide remarks to make.

"Well." Finally Mirai broke the tense atmosphere. "How long are you and Hiiro here Sai?"

"We don't know, might be leaving anytime. You see, we came through- wait. Where are Bulma and Chi-Chi? I'd rather explain it with everyone here so I don't have to repeat myself."

"Sure. They're actually together at Capsule Corps. See, we were celebrating the defeat of the android Cell, the battle took place thirteen years from today." Goten piped in. 

"Yeah. Bulma decided we should commemorate each of the big defeats, like Cell, Buu, and Freiza. We thought she was joking, but apparently, she was serious. But hey, loud music, free food, and good friends, it's a great excuse for us all to get together every once in a while." Krillin joked. 

"Sounds good to me." Sai answered dryly. "Let's go then." She called Nimbus, and she and Hiiro set off at a break neck speed, trying to catch up with everyone else as they flew. Soon enough they slowed, and the Capsule building came into view. Below them they could see waving.

"Sai!" Bulma was shouting. As Sai and Hiiro landed, Bulma caught her in a large hug. "Oh Serena!" She cried. 

"Bulma." She acknowledged the blue haired woman. Hiiro just watched, half smirking. Sai was popular here. Perhaps too popular for her tastes. It made him laugh inwardly at her predicament. As much as Sai loved these people, whom she obviously did, she was not about to let the love appear outwardly. It was simply her nature.

"Oh Sai!" Bulma murmured, wiping away her tears. "I thought I would never see you again. After you left, your ki just… disappeared. Everyone searched for you for weeks, but you were just… gone!"

"I left. I told you I was going to." Sai answered uncomfortably. She hadn't meant for Bulma to worry over her so much. Bulma heard her comment and shied back, hurt in her eyes.

"Sai, I know… I know." She turned her head away. Guilt ate openly at Sai's heart. Suddenly she felt a warm presence behind her. 

"Sai, she called you Serena. So give her Serena. It's a start." Hiiro whispered. She nodded, too chocked back with tears to reply verbally. What would she do without Hiiro to help her?

"Bulma?" She finally managed to say. Then she pulled the pin. Slowly she shrank and the small, lithe form of Serena took the place of large and violent Sai. 

"Serena?" The older woman gulped. Serena nodded. Bulma gave a sad smile. "Serena. So how long will you be here Serena?"

"Serena will be here as long as Bulma wants her. However, Sai cannot say how long she can stay. Remember how I told you I came from a different world?"

"Yes."

"These last few years, I've been traveling other worlds, fighting and helping those who can't help themselves. That's how I met Hiiro- we fought on the same side in a war."

"A war? Like the Cells games and Buu fight?" Goku asked.

"A war, as in killing other humans and machines who have become corrupt and power hungry." Hiiro answered.

"He makes it sound worse than it was." Serena scoffed.

"Serry, may I remind you of Russian Roulette?" Hiiro quietly offered.

"No." She crinkled her nose. "I've been trying to forget that."

"Serena, you played Russian Roulette?" Mirai gasped.

"No. I forced others to." Everyone gasped, and Bulma stepped back. Serena sighed. "Look. I've done things I'm not proud of. But they were always with the best intentions, please at least try to believe that."

"You would never do it otherwise Serena, we already knew that." Mirai told her. Then he cleared his throat. "So, you've been traveling other worlds…?"

"Yes. And now I'm trying to get back home, to my original world. When the rift opens in the sky, I have to go through, otherwise it might not come back and I'll have missed my chance. The worst part of it is that the rift has been coming more often now. The first time it showed up, I was left here in this world for a year and a half. The next world I only stayed for a year, and then only a few months, and then a few months less, etcetera. I don't know how long it will last this time."

"Too late. Sai, look above you." Gohan told her gently. She looked up, only to see the multi-colored strobe swirling in all its glory right above them.

"You were only here for less than a day. And now you're leaving, possibly forever?" Mirai asked.

"Sorry." Sai muttered. "I didn't plan it out like this."

"Serry, the rift…" 

"I know Hii-kun. Give me a moment. Then we'll go."

"Serena." Bulma stepped forward and away from the others. "I want you to know I'm sorry we didn't have more time together after our fight over your training. You were like my daughter, until Bra. And you'll always hold a place in my heart. If you ever need me, know I'll be here. Just find a way to me."

"Bulma, thank you. I'm sorry I caused you so much undeserved grief. All of you, I wish you good luck in life. Thank you for everything. Mirai, I thank you for the training. And Gohan, if it wasn't for you I'd have failed school. Thank you, you have all made me what I am, and I couldn't wish for anything more." She had to stop- otherwise tears would fall. It would never do for Sai to have tears falling. "Goodbye then." She nodded. 

"Nimbus!" She called. Hiiro jumped on and reached down to pull her on with him. She gladly accepted his help. And then she let the cloud do the work, taking them higher still, into the unknown future. *


	14. Bitter Sweet Homecoming

Chapter Fourteen: Bitter Sweet Homecoming

*As the cloud came through the rift, it stopped and stood still above a city covered in smog. The grayish brown smog was so thick, only the tips of the skyscrapers could be seen through it, and they were an old and faded metal color. Willing Nimbus to go lower, Serena and Hiiro surveyed the sight. What they saw disgusted them beyond belief. Fires burning went unnoticed, homeless people crowded the streets, and people screamed in vain at each other. Car alarms were going off, broken windows, and utter chaos reigned in this city.

"Is this your home?" Asked Hiiro. He knew she had had to put up with monster attacks, but this? It was unforgivable what the people had done to it.

"I don't know. It was never like this. In Tokyo, the sky was blue, people were nicer to each other, and there were never any fires or anything. This place is a mess." She landed Nimbus in an alleyway and sent it on its way. "Let's walk around, see if we can find out where we are." 

"Sounds good. I'm loading a gun though."

"Yeah. I'll change back into Sai, if that's alright with you."

"Yeah." Once they were ready, they left the alleyway and headed into the bleak city streets. As they walked, Sai thought she saw a few familiar faces, and once in a while a familiar building, but she shrugged it off. Then, she stopped.

Hiiro saw Sai stop, and stopped as well. "What?"

"That's Crown Games Arcade. I used to practically live in that place when I was younger. Hii-kun, this is my home world." She stood, finally excepting what she hadn't wanted to believe in the first place. While she had been gone, their own fragile peace had come to a close, and now only destruction lived. "Let's go." She said with a cool note in her voice. If Hiiro noticed the change in attitude, he said nothing. If he noticed her eyes had become royal purple, he said nothing of it either.

But inwardly, he thought to himself. He had heard her voice go cold, seen her eyes darken, but figured it was for the best. She might need the anger later on if something went wrong in this town of muggers and gangsters. As they stepped into the arcade, they were met with a somewhat decent sight, and Hiiro saw Sai's shoulders lose the tense readiness that she had put on them since they had arrived in this new city.

"Some things never change." She said, giving a half smirk. The arcade was still the same, and while there was a man trying desperately to get an alcoholic beverage, a tall, thin, blonde man adamantly refused to serve him it.

"No. I don't sell liquor here, so get out."

"Excuse me Andrew, but is this man bothering you?" Sai asked the blonde waiter.

"Yes, but don't worry miss. I'll be over to help you in a moment."

"I want liquor!" Said the drunk. Suddenly, he pulled a gun out and held 'Andrew' to it. "Now I want me liquor. Go get it waiter-boy!" As soon as he had pulled the gun, Hiiro pulled his.

"Let the man go or I shoot." He said. If Serena knew this guy, he wouldn't let some drunken fool kill him over a bottle of brandy. "I mean it."

"Alright! Chill out man! I'll let go, I'll let go!" Hiiro saw the man lower his gun from and Andrew, and then saw the movement of the gun coming back up towards him. Before the drunk could shoot, Hiiro shot the gun out of his hand. "Ouch! Geez, what the hell are you?" Cried the drunk, who backed away, and then ran down the street.

"Nice shot." Sai nodded in appreciation.

"Thanks." Hiiro nodded back.

"Wow. Thanks for the help, you two. It's hard to find people who care enough to do something now days."

"No problem Andy, I would never let something happen to you when I could prevent it." 

"I'm sorry, do I know you miss?"

"You used to. A long time ago Andy. Let me reintroduce myself. I go by Sai nowadays. However, way back when, I used my real name- Serena."

"Sere? My Sere? The little one who used to come in everyday after school and…"

"Play Sailor V after drinking a chocolate milkshake." She paused. "Let me introduce my friend. This is Hiiro Yui, Andy. He's probably the best shot you'll find in all of Tokyo."

"Serena! I thought you were dead!" Ignoring her introduction, he wrapped her into a giant hug. For some reason, Hiiro couldn't help but think the man was too close to Serena, even though they were hugging. "God Sere, how could you leave?"

"Sorry Andy. I needed to get out for a while. Sort through some things. Could I get two of my usual?"

"Yeah. You still eat as much as ever."

"No, not really. The second one is for Hiiro." Andrew turned to look at the handsome youth next to Serena whom he had ignored earlier. He saw a well-built body, messy brown hair, and a look in his blue eyes he knew immediately. Why was this Hiiro jealous that he had hugged Sere? 

"I'm sorry. It's nice to meet you Hiiro."

"The same to you." Hiiro gave a curt nod. Serena noticed the two eyeing each other up, so she decided to break the silence.

"Hii-kun, I've known Andy since I was seven years old. He used to baby sit for me, and after that, I just kept up our friendship. He's like a big brother now."

"Hnn."

"Hii-kun, don't be like that." She knew he didn't trust Andrew. He acted this way every time they met a new person. It was just one of those over-protective things he did. Oh well, best friends will be best friends. 

"Sorry Serry."

"Here Sere, Hiiro. Is that a new nickname? Huh Serry?" He smiled, but the smile no longer made her heart pound like when she had bee younger.

"Yes, but it's restricted for Hii-kun only. Stick with Sere. But Andy, I would rather be called Sai for now. Just until I get situated back here. Then I'll go around as 'Sere' again."

"You got it. Where've you been all this time?"

"Around. What's happened here Andy?"

"Sai, well, a lot. After you left, Sailor Moon stopped coming to the monster fights. They got worse and worse. Finally, in one of the youma attacks, the President of Japan and the Governor of Tokyo were killed at a conference here at Tokyo Civic Center. Without anyone to enforce laws, people just broke lose in a mad panic. I'll tell you, Sere, it was like hell had arrived on Earth. Since then, nothing has been able to restore power to the law, and the monsters have gotten bolder and more frequent in their attacks. We'd need a miracle to save Tokyo now."

"What about the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask? Haven't they been fighting the youma?"

"Yeah, but they're not fast enough. There's usually a triple attack, making them split into three teams, and usually they aren't strong enough to take the monsters without the whole group being together. As for Sailor Moon, they came out with the explanation at first that she had quite and gone into seclusion, but later told the truth that they had forced her out and now couldn't find her to ask her for help."

"Serry…"

"I know Hii-kun. I know."

"You know what, Sere?"

"Andy, Hiiro and I have to do some things now that I'm back in town before we can settle in. In fact, we're off to the hospital right now."

"Sere, you didn't hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Your father and brother woke up after about a month of you missing. They tried to find you, but couldn't, and neither could the cops. They said they knew you were alive and wouldn't give up the search, but the cops did. Sere, your father is kind of touchy on the subject of your disappearance, so take it easy on him."

"They're awake?" She stood in awe. "Thanks Andrew. See you around." With that she and Hiiro walked out into the messy streets again.

"Serry, why don't you go home and find your family? I'll run a scan of the city."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Have your cycle?" She said, still a little unsure about separating. She pulled out her bag of capsules and grabbed her motorcycle. He grabbed his from his pocket. Earlier that year he had asked her to capsulize it if they ever needed it in an emergency. Now they always carried the capsules with them. 

"Be careful Serry." With that, he speed down the road. She then speed out in the opposite direction, towards the residential Jubban district.

)(

Hiiro glanced at the sidewalks. It was hard to imagine Serry had grown up here when it was not covered by graffiti and wall-to-wall with people. He saw a gang shoot out, where three boys hardly older than himself were killed, and watched as a store window was broken. ' This city needs more than a miracle to save it. It needs divine intervention, and if these people think Sailor Moon is able to help them, I'd like to see there faces when they find out she needs help herself. There's no way Serry could save this city by herself. She'll need those two timing Sailor Scouts to help her. I'd better check the directory for their homes, then pay them a little visit.' He thought as he looked around for a phone book.

)(

Serena sighed. She was about to knock on the door when she remembered that there was a hide-a-key underneath the doormat. She lifted the mat and picked up the key. After letting herself into the house, she looked around. It was five thirty, so she knew everyone was home. She heard the television blaring and smelled dinner cooking from the kitchen. Suddenly, she froze.

"Don't move. Who are you and how did you get in here?" Turning around, she saw two men, one holding a gun, and the other a baseball bat. 

"Daddy? Sammy? Is that you?"

"Sere, Serena?" Chocked out the older man.

"Yeah dad, it's me." 

"Oh Serena! You're alive!" With that, he embraced her in a huge hug.

"Oh dad! I missed you so much!" When the other boy came to hug her, she said "You too Sammy!"

"Where've you been meatball head? We looked everywhere for you! Why didn't you come home?"  
"I'm sorry. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was… I just… I needed to take a break and figure some things out. After that, I was scared to come home because I didn't want to see you both still laying in the hospital so helpless looking. I'm sorry."

"Serena Usagi, you did what you had to do. You scared the hell out of us, but we still love you. Come in and tell us where you've been and what you've been up to while you were gone."*


	15. What Happened To You?

Chapter Fifteen: What Happened to You?

*"…too hard."

"What else can we do? We're fighting as hard as we possibly can, and it's just not good enough."

"We need help. We all know it."

Hiiro listened to the conversation with great interest. After finally finding a Shinto Temple in the phone directory, he had rushed over to it as fast as he could. He had remembered that 'Mars' was a Shinto Priestess, so he figured that was the best place to start. 

It was almost already dark at six o'clock, but Hiiro had found the temple at last and was surprised to find nine teenagers in the giant room next to the shrine. He listened in hard, and had found they were exactly who he had been looking for, the Sailor Scouts. Hiiro had it in the right mind that he should go in there and slap them all, yelling at them for what they had done to Serry, but held in his rage for a while longer. Instead of beating them into listening to him, he listened to them in hopes of discovering some information about the situation. 

He was right. As far as he had heard, the Scouts were having a tough time controlling the youma, let alone helping to keep crime down to a minimum now during the fiasco. They needed Sailor Moon badly. 

Leaving the Shrine, he realized, he had no idea where Serry's home was. He didn't know where to find her, or even if she was alright. Not to mention, the gas tank on his cycle was near empty. 'Great. Only one thing left to do.' He pulled out his laptop (Serry had capsulized it for him as well) and typed her a message for help.

)(

Serena's computer beeped a very loud and highly annoying noise just as she and her brother were finishing the dinner dishes. 'That's probably Hii-kun. He's probably lost and doesn't know where I live.' She had realized all too soon after he had left that she hadn't given him a meeting place, so she had been expecting his email anytime.

"What's that noise your laptop is making Serena?" Asked her father. 

"It's telling me I have mail. Probably Hii-kun telling me he's lost." She said, as if nothing were wrong with that statement. She was corrected instantly.

"Hii-kun? You have a boyfriend? Who? Where? Is he respectable? Has he hurt you in any way? Let me at him!" Her father cried. Serena just continued checking her mail. 

"I have to go get him, he's out of gas and lost. Sammy, want to come with me?"

"Sure. How are we going to get to him? We haven't gotten a new car since the accident, and he's probably far away…"

"We'll take my cycle. Come on, it's getting dark, and I don't care if he does have the best shot in Tokyo, I don't want to leave him alone at night."

"You have a…"

"Come on!"

Twenty minutes later, Hiiro blinked as his best friend's motorcycle blinded him. "Thought you'd never get here." He smirked lightly.

"Sorry, but knowing you, I took the scenic route, thinking I'd let you have a little more fun here alone at night."

"Funny." Hiiro grinned at her sarcastic sense of humor. "Who's that?"

"Hiiro, meet my brother, Sammy. Sam, this is Hiiro, or Hii-kun."

"Nice to meet you kid."

"Nice to meet you Hiiro. But I'm not a kid. I'm actually taller than Serena." Hiiro, who was sitting on his bike, exchanged a grin with Serry. In the light of the Temple, he stood up to shake Sammy's hand. 

"Everyone's taller than Serry."

"Hey! Not when I'm Sai!" She said, but was brushed off.

Sammy looked up and gulped. Ok, so correcting this Hiiro guy was probably not a bright idea. Sammy could tell Hiiro could have easily over power him if he had wanted to, the height and lean muscular build gave that away. The only thing that made Sammy change his mind about him was the fact that the new guy and his sister were grinning madly at each other. 'Wonder why?' he thought. 

Hiiro liked Serry's brother. He could tell he was just worried about his sister being with a guy. When he shook his hand, he felt a strong grip, indicating that the youngster was stronger than he appeared to be. Stepping back, he grinned at Serry.

"I'm out of fuel."

"Don't you think I know that? Here." She held up a bottle of gas, and he emptied it's contents into his gas tank. "Ready?" She said. By this time, she and Sammy were sitting on their bike, Sammy with a helmet on, and Serena with out. Serena and Hiiro never wore their helmets, but Sammy wasn't getting off so easily.

"Let's go." The ride back to Serena's house was uneventful, and by the time everyone was going to bed, both Sammy and Serena's father decently liked Hiiro.

)(

"Good morning Hii-kun. Sleep well?"

"Yeah. The hard part was getting up with out waking your brother up." Hiiro had slept in Sammy's room that night, and when he had tried to get up at as usual time for his morning jog and spar with Serry, he had had to tiptoe like never before to get out of the room.

"Sorry. Ready?" 

"Let's go." And they jogged.

When Sammy woke, he noticed that Hiiro was gone. When he checked his sister's bed, she was missing too. He went down the stairs and looked for them, but they were nowhere to be found. Looking outside, he saw no cycles, but remembered Serena had done something to hers last night because she wasn't going to leave it on the street. Going back into the kitchen worried, he saw two laptops on the counter and sighed. He didn't think they would leave without their laptops, so they were probably just out for a walk or something. 

"Morning son. Where are your sister and Hiiro?"

"Out for a walk. I'll make breakfast."

Serena and Hiiro were just getting back when her brother came running out of the house. 

"You're back! I made breakfast for us all, so come on in!"

"Sure Sam. Give us a few minutes out here?" Answered Serena

"Uh, sure, why?" he asked confused. If they had finished their jog, what was left to do?

"We just need to have a light spar, a morning warm up of sorts." She said.

"Right. Can I watch?"

"Stay out of the way though." Answered Hiiro. Then, he and Serena bowed to each other and started into a series of punches, kicks, dodges, and flips. Serena brought out her sword, and Hiiro his gun.

As he shot at her, she blocked the bullets with the sword. This not only kept him in target practice, it gave her a chance to work with her sword. She had had to fix it so it wouldn't break from the bullets, of course. After all they were finished, they bowed to each other again, and grinned.

"We're ready for that breakfast Sammy." Serena said.

"Yeah…"

"I think you shocked your brother Serry."

"If he thinks that's a shock, I'd hate for him to see us when we really try hard." With that, they walked into the house.

"There you all are. Serena, Hiiro, you're sweaty!" Kenji looked slightly disgusted and worried. "Go take a shower before breakfast." Said her dad.

"But dad…"

"Or you won't eat." He put his foot down. By the time she and Hiiro had their plates, the food had to be reheated.

"It's your fault Serry. You take too long in the shower and you know it."

"Shut up Hii-kun. Or I'll ki blast you where the sun don't shine." She smiled ever so sweetly at him and he balked a face at her.

"By the way, Serry, last night, I went by the Cherry Hill Temple and heard the most interesting conversation between nine other people."

"Hii-kun?" She knew who he was talking about, but she didn't know what the conversation was about. She was waiting for him to tell her.

"They need help. Badly. Serry, if.."

"But Hii-kun, do you think I'm ready?"

"Yeah. But I don't think you want to push it too much, alright Serry?"

"Come with me. I need some support."

"You knew I was going to come regardless." 

"What time?"

"Eleven."

"We'd better leave now if we're going to get there on time. We'll just take one bike, alright?"

"I'm driving. Go as Sai, and then become Serena. You'll shock the hell out of them to start with. That should be fun to watch."

"You called it. Let's book it. Dad, Sammy, Hii-kun and I are going out. We'll be back later."

"Serena? I don't think…" Kenji began. But seeing the look on his daughter's face and the glare in Hiiro's eyes as he looked out the door, Kenji knew he couldn't stop them. "Be careful." Was all he said.

"I know Dad, I know."

)(

"What was that?" Cried Lita. A huge noise had shook the girls out of their quiet meeting and they all went outside to see where the noise had come from.

"You don't think it's another youma, do you?" Asked Mina.

"I don't know, but I'm sensing something familiar."

"The ocean is still raging, but it's calmer than it has been for months. What could cause that kind of reaction?" Added Michiru. 

Suddenly a motorcycle road up the temple steps and neatly stopped right in front of them, kicking up dust as it screeched to a halt. The occupant of the back got off and pulled the helmet off of their head. Slowly, long black hair with slight silver highlights was revealed. Then a face with large purple eyes and pale skin showed through. The other occupant got off of the bike and also removed their helmet. The senshi stood in awe as the figure revealed messy chocolate brown hair and prussian blue eyes. 

"That is the last time we wear helmets." Said the girl.

"I second that." Answered the boy. Then both the newcomers turned to face the Sailor Scouts.

"Hello girls, Mr. Chiba. It's been a while huh?"

"Who are you? How do you know us?" Asked Setsuna.

"Setsuna. How could you forget me? Did you not know I was coming? There's a first, I've been able to surprise the senshi that can't be surprised."

"Who are you?" Asked Haruka forcefully. 

"Some prefer to call me Sai, especially when I'm in this form. However, you and a few others have had the privilege of knowing my true name." They senshi watched as she pulled the pin from her chocker necklace. They watched her form shrink in size and muscle mass until it was a short, skinny little girl. Her hair was now bright blonde and her eyes were a deep sapphire blue. "You know me as Serena Usagi Tsukino."

"Serena?" The girls gasped. They had thought she was dead after Mercury had scanned the area and found her blood on the ground right after she had stormed off from them. 

"Serena? I that really you?" Asked Hotaru.

"It appears to be. She has the exact same DNA as our Serena." Answered Ami, using her computer to scan the two.

"Yes, it's me. I heard you were having a wild time here, partying with the Negaverse, no justice system, and Thereon's Vamps. I decided to back home to check it out for myself."

"Who told you we were having such a blast?" Asked Lita with a snort.

"Why, Hii-kun over here did of course. We got back in town last night, and he so graciously did me the honor of eavesdropping on your meeting last night. I must say, the city does look a bit on the shabby side."

"Hii-kun? Usako, who is he?"

"Oh, so sorry Darien, how rude of me! Let me introduce you. Darien, Scouts, this is Hiiro Yui. Hii-kun, these are my best friends." She said with a mocking tone.

"It's a pleasure. Use the name Usako on her again and I'll rearrange that pretty boy face of yours." Hiiro glared.

"Thanks Hii-kun!" Serena smirked a half smile at him, but only for a split second. "Well, Scouts, it was nice seeing you again. Have fun playing with Thereon tonight. Hii-kun and I would love to come, but, we're having dinner with my dad and brother. Ciao." She and Hiiro got back on the bike and he whispered something in her ear. She gave a shot laugh and Darien glared at Hiiro with anger and jealousy.

"Wait, Serena, aren't you going to stay for the meeting? You need to fight! We need you!" Cried Luna from below.

"Oh, Luna. Didn't see you. No, sorry. I'm not needed. Remember I'm a ditz, a lazy bum who can't even get to school on time, much less pass a class. You don't want me to help, remember?" Just then, a gang of thugs trudged up the Temple steps.

"Not these guys again." Sighed Rei.

"Hey, Priestess! Looking good this morning. So, what offerings were made to the shrine last week, huh baby cakes?" 

"None. Get lost creeps!" Cried Lita. When the men pulled out knifes and chains, the scouts backed off. Were they so intimidated by mere weapons? No wonder the city was in such poor condition. Serena glanced at Hiiro, and he at her. They both got off the bike and stood to face the attackers.

"Leave them alone." Hiiro spoke.

"Yeah, fresh meat. Well, they want a fight, so then. Let's get them!" Cried the thug leader. The thugs charged at the two soldiers, and after the first three were down- Hiiro had shot one and punched one unconscious; Serena had snapped one's neck- they began to back off. Then one charged Serena, thinking she would be an easier target. She pulled out her sword and caught the man around the neck. 

"Leave or I slit his throat. You have thirty seconds, starting now."

"You'll never do it."

"Ten left."

"You're too chicken girly."

"Time's up." Without a second thought she slit his throat. The others, seeing she meant business, and then seeing the man who she was with holding them at gunpoint, ran. Serena and Hiiro looked at each other. They got back on the bike, but Rei stopped them.

"Why?"

"Hii-kun put money in the shrine last night. I didn't want thugs wasting his hard earned cash. Besides. It was apparent you were too spineless to do anything yourselves." Answered Serena. With that, Hiiro revved the engine and speed off down the Temple steps. The other Scouts stood looking at the four dead men on the patio. Michiru asked the one question everyone wanted to know.

"Serena, what happened to you?"*


	16. Confrontation and Comforting Get Messy

Chapter Sixteen: Confrontation and Comforting Get Messy

*It was nearly twelve thirty. Two of three men paced around a living room, ruining the carpet and running a ditch into the floor beneath it.

"Where is she? She went out three hours ago. She promised she'd come back."

"Do you think something's happened to her? Maybe one of the gangs got her, or a car maybe. Maybe she…"

"She's fine." Said the only rational voice in the house at the moment. Hiiro was watching Serena's father and brother pace around the room. He himself was seated on the floor, leaning against the wall. He had his laptop open and was trying to figure out if emailing his friends was possible. So far, no luck. He wasn't overly worried about Serena; he knew she could take care of herself just fine. What he did worry about was her family worrying about her. 'It's not safe to be that gray at such a young age.' He thought to himself about Serena's father. The door opened and his thoughts went to pieces as Serena (in Sai's form) stepped in from the chilly night air.

"Sorry I'm late. I just missed the city so much that I guess I just lost track of time."

"Serena, it's twelve thirty! What's there to see in the dark in this God forsaken city?" Cried her father. 

"I was in the park. There was this little bench that I remembered from when I was younger, and I wanted to see it, but I couldn't wait until tomorrow. Well, when I got there, I saw the roses…"

"You stopped for a bench and some roses? Do you have any idea what happens to little girls in those parks at night? They get raped! They get mugged, some times beaten or killed! You could have been next on the front of the newspaper!"

"It wasn't just any bench, and they weren't just some roses! And besides. I can take care of myself. I'd like to see someone try to mess with Sai." Hiiro could practically see her light lavender eyes become royal purple.

"Sai? You think that just because your appearance has changed that they aren't going to try something?"

"They won't if they know what's good for them."

"Serena!" This time both her father and brother screamed at her.

"Serry. You worried them. And me. You could have called." Hiiro said, finally joining the conversation. Even he had to admit that with each minute that had gone by, he had gotten a nagging feeling that she was in trouble.

"Hii-kun, you too? Christ! I know what I'm doing! Hiiro Yui, you above all people should know that by now!" Serena had only stopped to look at the moon and send a prayer to her mother on it for help. When she had woken from her meditative state, she had realized she was late getting home, so she had come straight home. But now, everyone was yelling at her for no reason. 

She couldn't understand why all three of them had been so worried. Her dad, ok, she could see that. Her brother, well, that was starting to cross the fine line between believable and non-believable. As for Hiiro, she couldn't even comprehend that the last sentence had left his mouth! He of all people should know how much she can and can't handle. 

"Serena Usagi! Don't take that tone of voice with me young lady! I'll ground you for a month!" Kenji cried.

"Ground me? You'll ground me? How? You couldn't stop me from leaving the first time! Why would now be any different? Ground me! I'm not a little girl anymore! You can't lock me in my room without dinner. I'm out of here!" With that, she left the house, neglecting to take her coat and slamming the door behind her.

Hiiro watched Serena's father sink down to sit on the couch behind him. "What have I done? My little girl's gone and left me! Oh, God! Please help me! What have I done?"

"It wasn't your fault dad." Said Sammy from across the room. He crossed over to sit beside his father. "She's changed too much. She's not our happy-go-lucky hurricane Serena. She doesn't trip down the stairs every morning only to be late to class and forget her lunch. She doesn't fail her tests and then whine anymore, and she certainly never complains about being hungry. She's changed. We thought we could just pick up from where we left off, but we were wrong. She's changed, she's so cold now I can't believe she ever hugged us when she first came home. We were wrong."

"I know, but I shouldn't have made such a big deal about her being out so late. It's not like I'm not used to her sneaking out every night, oh no. She used to do it every night when she was younger. Some times, she'd leave, then come back, sleep a few hours, and then leave again. And I knew every time, but couldn't stop her. Every time I tried to, I saw how worn out she was and didn't bother asking where she'd been or why." As Kenji went through his memories of his baby girl leaving him, Hiiro's heart broke. Serena…

"I'm going to look for her." With that, Hiiro grabbed his coat and speed in her direction on his cycle.

"See dad? Hiiro will find her and everything will be alright."

"I hope so Sammy, I hope so. I don't want to lose her after only just now finding her again."

"Me either."

Hiiro had traced Serena's cycle all the way to one of the worst parts of town. There were few streetlights, and those there were didn't do much to stop the darkness from extending into the street. He saw fire barrels with homeless people trying to warm themselves around them. He saw gangs facing off at one another. He saw thieves dividing their night's haul, and even worse, he saw Serena's motorcycle parked out of the way in the parking lot of a bar. He capsulized it to keep it from being ripped off and shoved it into his pocket.

When Hiiro stepped into the bar, he was appalled. People passed out over the tables and one man sat in a pool of blood with a knife in the back of his neck. He spotted Serena at the bar counter, draining a shot glass of whiskey in one gulp. He made his way over to her and pulled the glass from her hands. When she resisted, he ended up having to hold her hands together with one of his while he got the shot glass and bottle of whiskey out of her reach with the other.

"Hiiro. Just let me have the bottle." He could smell the liquor on her breath.

"No."

"Just let me have it."

"No." She pulled her hand from his and pointed it at him, as if to blast him with a ki blast.

"Give it to me or I shoot you."

"No. Serry. You're drunk."

"No I'm not. I'm not even remotely tipsy." 

"Let's go." He paid the cashier and then had to hold her at gunpoint to get her out of the bar and onto his cycle. As he drove, he thought of something. Turning towards the Cherry Hill Temple, he found the entrance to the park. He hauled her off the bike, capsulized it, and pulled her until he reached the edge of the lake. She was starting to squirm too much and getting the upper hand, so he casually threw her into the lake.

Serena felt the cold water wake her from her daze the alcohol had put her in. Now that she was numb all over, what was the use of alcohol? She just let herself sit in the shallow water of the lake until a familiar voice came from behind her.

"What the hell were you thinking? Running away? Getting drunk? Serry. Listen to me! Look at me!" She felt him turn her to face him and shake her shoulders hard with his hands. "What the hell were you thinking? That the drinks would solve the problem? Serena! Look at me!" 

When he used her full name, she looked at him with cold dark purple eyes. He noticed she was shivering and mentally cursed himself for thinking throwing her into the lake would be a good idea. He picked her up and sat on the ground, her back up against his chest, his arms wrapped around her so she couldn't escape him.

Suddenly, Serena felt incredibly warm all over. She felt as if half of the weight lifted from her shoulders and just dissipated into nothing, like it had never been there in the first place. She leaned into her best friend's arms and relaxed enough to begin to sob.

"Hii-chan, I'm so sorry! I don't know what I was thinking. I was just hoping that maybe the drinks would get rid of the argument, the problems, the monsters, and just, oh, everything."

Hiiro understood. He had tried it too. Of course, it had taken all four of the pilots, Duo, Trowa, Wufei and Quatre, to get him out of the bar and cooled down enough to talk. 

"Serry, it's alright." He held her closer, wanting to help her, wising he could take her pain and make it his own. What he felt for her now, at this very moment was not friendship. Somewhere along the way, their innocent friendship had lost its taste. He wanted more now, and he knew at this moment what it was that he wanted. He wanted her love…

Serena stopped crying and looked at her friend behind her. She saw his glazed over eyes and knew he was thinking of something serious. She reached up, tracing her fingers down his cheek and then around his chin. She tried to stop her fingers as they brushed over his lips, but couldn't. 

She didn't know why, but he had a strange gleam in his eye as his focus became her again. He grabbed her hand and brought it up to his lips. Kissing it softly, he looked up. Prussian eyes met azure ones as they locked in an intense stare. Leaning in closer, both lost their senses in trying to capture each other's lips with their own. Just as they lightly brushed against each other, the Earth trembled and a loud scream was heard in the distance.

Hiiro pulled away roughly. He had been so close. So close to both losing the best friend he had ever had if he had completed the movement inwards, and the little piece of heaven he would have gained if he had. 

Serena felt him push away from her as the loud noise and sharp moving Earth startled them back into reality. She felt slightly rejected at first, but soon after realized that there had been a good reason for the harshness of his manner. She had been so close to him. She didn't even know what she was thinking. He was her friend, her best friend for crying out loud! There was no way he could feel the same way about her… how did she feel about him anyway? Oh, it was all too confusing to her! She liked him well enough so that she trusted him with her life, and let him become her best friend. She loved him enough to want him to kiss her and hold her and say things only lovers told each other…lovers? Her and Hiiro? Hii-chan? 'When did it become Hii-chan, not Hii-kun? I'm losing it! I can't possibly love him, he's my best friend!' Another loud boom and scream brought her out of her reverie. 

Suddenly, a body flew through the air and landed roughly against the tree right next to them. Hiiro and Serena turned to inspect the body. Sailor Venus was the victim. Three more scouts jumped into the clearing and then the night took on a whole new meaning.

"Serena?" whispered Mina. Sailor Venus looked up and saw her ex -friend, the one she had pretended to hate for so long, in front of her, watching her as if she were the enemy. "Serena, please help them fight the youma. We can't do it without your help."

"She's right koneko-chan. Help us fight Thereon's Vamp." Pleaded Sailor Uranus.

"Serena? Help us?" Asked Michiru.

"Come on Sailor Moon!" Added Hotaru.

"Why should I help you after all you've done to me? After you told me you all hated me, I tried suicide to get away from how guilty I felt! I thought it was all my fault! And now you say it was all just a mistake? I'm not a chess piece to be played with and moved around strategically so you can win. I'm not an expandable commodity for you to use when you need and then throw away once you're done with me! I have feelings. And a heart. It's just been sewed back up, tell me, why should I take the chance that it will be shattered again so soon?" Serena raged.

"Serena," said Ami "We know that. It's just that somewhere along the way, we forgot it. We are sorry, and we've been sorry ever since the day you were reported missing." By now the other scouts and Darien had joined them, as well as Luna and Artemis.

"Serena, I was too hard on you. I'm sorry, I did notice you had gotten better at being on time and kultzing out, but in the heat of the moment, I lost my cool and said terrible things that you didn't deserve." Said Luna.

"Meatball head, give us a second chance, would you already? The monster is going to be here any minute now." The others glared at Mars, but she shrugged and went on: "Look. I know what we did was wrong. I'm sorry, so let's just forget it alright?"

"It is hard to forgive people you die for when they tell you they didn't care for you anymore."

"Serry…" She looked at Hiiro. "Stop playing with their minds and help them, would you?"

"Why, what's the rush?"

"Oh, I don't know. It could have something to do with the three monsters behind you, but that's just a wild guess." She slowly turned around to face the three Vamps that Thereon had sent out that day. They were closing in fast.

"Yeah, you know Hii-chan, I think you're right." He did a double take at what she had just called him. "Back away so you don't get hurt Hii-chan." Taking the brooch from her belt, where she always kept it now days, she shouted out her famous henshin words: "Moon Eternal Make-up!" 

Hiiro and the rest of the people around had to shield their eyes from the bright light. As he opened his eyes, Hiiro caught sight of a dazzling light show, and in the middle was the beautiful girl who had changed him so much.

"Alright trash!" She cried out when she was finished. "I am the exiled leader of the Sailor Soldiers, and it is my pleasure to officially inform you that, your life expectancy just dropped." With that, the first of the three youma stood to fight her. Though the Sailors wanted to help, Hiiro had stopped them.

"Let her." Of course, to follow through with it, he had to keep his gun out and ready at all times.

Serena had just finished trashing the first youma when the second tried to take her from the back. She did a quick spin in mid air and landed behind it, surprising it with a fast kick, following it with a chop from her sword, and finishing it off with a ki blast that sent it straight back to hell. Ad the last one approached her, she took time to sneak a glance back at Hiiro. He gave her a smile that made her heart fly. She decided that she would not use a ki blast, but instead one of her newer attacks to show her friends how powerful she really had gotten. She saw the youma coming at her at breakneck speed and grabbed her old moon scepter form it's sub space pocket. 

"Crisis! Cross! Resurrection!" The youma was slowed, so she decided to finish the job fast. "Arch Angel! Kiss! Of Death!" The youma was nothing more than moon dust. "Well, that was easy enough." She said, smirking a little.

"So you're back moon angel! I've missed you so!"

"Shut it Thereon. I'm here to stop you, end of story. Now do you want to do this now, or later?"

"Oh angel, I don't want to do it ever. But I suppose I must, if only to humor you. After all, I did send you to train with those bizarre Z Warriors. And I did send you to train with those crazy doctors. And then to the Bebop world, and the Hakusho world. I am responsible for it all. And I brought you home. The least I could do is oblige you in a fight."

"So you opened those rifts?"

"Of course? Who else would have that kind of power? I must say, however, you've changed a great deal. You're so much more grown up angel, so perfect now."

"You're crazy! What do you want with Earth anyway? It's just another planet."

"A planet with life, and intelligent life at that. I could have so much fun playing with you Earthlings, oh you have no idea how much fun. My motive is simple: rule the Earth and play with you humans as pawns in a giant chess game. Now just think angel, you could be with me, watching and laughing with me. Join me and we'll rule the world!"

"You're not exactly original in that thinking."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, Prince Dimando had the same thought: love Serenity, want the world. I'm going to tell you right now exactly the same thing I told him: Hell no! I don't trade my planet for crazy sons of bitches like you, much less anyone. Back off, or you'll find out how cruel my friends and I really can be."

"And who? Your friends? Didn't they dump you? And you think that human assassin, the Perfect Soldier, can really help you in a fight against magic?"

"They don't have to fight. Just believe I can, which they do, most especially that human assassin!"

"Sailor Moon, you're dating an assassin?" broke the tension filled air from where the Sailor Scouts were standing. Mina was just waking up from her nap against the tree, and had missed the whole conversation. At that moment, Serena blushed a crimson red and Hiiro pulled his gun on her.

"Shut up!" He shot a bullet right above her head.

"Hii-chan, let up a bit, would you? She didn't hear the whole conversation!" Hiiro grumbled, but put his gun back. 

"If you're not dating him then, Sere, is he available?"

"Mina!"

"Silence! I hate being ignored! This ends now Sailor Moon!"*


	17. Two Defeats: One Good, One Bad

Chapter Seventeen: Two Defeats, One Good, One Bad.

*Thereon shot a blast of magic at Sailor Moon, but she simply knocked it away. He harder he tried to hit her, the more he missed. Fed up, he charged at her with nothing short of killing her running through his mind. 

The Scouts watched as their friend fought. They had battled Thereon's youma for so long, ever since Serena had left them, that it seemed odd not to be the ones fighting now. They had been scared to death to fight, but they had never had a choice once Serena had left them. They had realized that they had made a grave mistake the day she left, but couldn't find her to tell her. When they were told that her parents and brother had been in a car wreck, they felt even worse. Everything had fallen into place, as if the destiny that they had been shown when they were younger was a mirage, nothing but an image created to please their imaginations. They watched the fight, each with their own emotions and feelings for their small moon princess washing throughout them, and each feeling guilt at their past decisions. 

Darien watched as his ex-girlfriend parried Thereon's perfect punches and kicks. If he weren't so evil, Thereon wouldn't have been so bad to get to know. Then he caught a glance of Serena. What a fool he was to have let her go. He looked her up and down. In place of her knobby knees were long slender and shapely legs. Nice curves, full ruby lips, shiny golden locks, and porcelain skin. He wanted her back, gods how he wanted her back. Turning from watching her, he glanced at the guy she had brought with her from… where had she been again? Didn't matter. So he was an assassin? He was probably rough and harsh, and probably treated her really poorly. She probably couldn't stand him, and he made her stay with him. Well, it would be no problem getting rid of him. He would just convince the Scouts that this 'Hiiro' character was bad. They would do the work for him. Then he and Serena could pick up where they left off, and he would not only get to be the King, but have a gorgeous and easy wife to fool with when his was board. He grinned and settled in to watch the fight, and of course, pretended to be worried about his 'one and only true love.'

Hiiro was ready to jump into the fray. He watched as Thereon slowly began to gain the upper hand with his Serry, his best friend, and his only lo…stop. What was he going to say? This was crazy talk. Another surge of protection washed over him as Thereon picked Serena, no Sailor Moon, up by her collar and threw her into a wall. Then he knew just what he was going to say. He was going to say exactly what had been in his heart the entire time he had known her, ever since he had heard her voice over the radio waves in his Gundam. He loved her. He would always care for her as a best friend, but it was more than that. Somewhere along the lines, he began to want more than just a kiss on the cheek for a goodnight. He never wanted her to have to say goodnight and leave the room for her own. He wanted to wake up with her in his arms, for her to be smiling at him when the sun peeked up over the horizon, for her to love him just as much as he loved her. After he admitted it, he felt elated. He couldn't wait to tell her. He watched her land a punch on Thereon. He knew she would win; he had the gut instinct that she would.

Thereon had had enough. Though she was beautiful, she was deadly. He had thought that by killing her family, he would weaken her spirits. He had thought that without her Scouts, she would give in easily. He had thought she would be so broken by the time she returned from the other dimensions that he would have no problems with her. He underestimated her. But, isn't that what he had promised he would never do? When he had first heard of the planet Earth in the Negaverse, he had thought it was a waste of time. When he heard of Sailor Moon killing Beryl, and then the Doom Tree, and finally even Chaos herself, he wanted a try. He studied her every move, this Moon girl from thousands of years ago. He became intrigued by her methods: don't kill the Doom Tree, heal it. He loved her beauty, her charm, her ditziness, and thought he might keep her to entertain himself after he conquered Earth. She turned out to be too much of a threat now, and she had to be eliminated. 'Oh well, her friends might be just as fun. That Tuxedo Mask is just as hot as she is anyway, he would make a good replacement for her.' He thought, and with renewed vigor attacked Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon felt Thereon tiring, but was too tired herself to attack him. She was using so much energy to block him and then attack that she was wearing herself out quickly. Every time she let her guard down for even a few seconds, she was rammed with either a kick, a punch, or a blast of magic. 'Magic…' she thought. 'Magic! That's it! I've been fighting him with punches, kicks and energy, not magic!' Sailor Moon quickly opened her sub pace pocket and pulled out her old scepter. 'Well, start out small and work your way up.' She chided herself. As she rose to her feet, she threw her best scepter attack at Thereon.

"Moon Princess Halation!" She heard Thereon yelp out in pain and knew she had hit a weak spot. In all the time she had spent learning to fight a proper martial arts battle, wielding a sword, and using energy attacks, she had forgotten the most powerful attacks against some one from the Nega verse was a magical one. Once again, she hit him hard with the magic from her scepter and she heard him gasp in pain.

"Why you little!" Thereon roared and sent a shot of magic back at her. She blocked it easily and then threw her tiara at him.

"Moon Scepter Elimination!" On and on she hit him with her best attacks. She transformed into Super Sailor Moon, then Eternal Sailor Moon, and finally, she stood as Sailor Cosmos. "Back down now, Thereon, or you'll feel my true power."

"Oh, I'm shaking!" Sailor Cosmos readied one of her newest attacks to throw at him.

"Arch Angel Kiss of Death!" she quickly followed it up with "Crisis Cross Resurrection!" Now, Thereon seemed unharmed, which scared her.

"Did you really think I was going to die now, today, at your hand? Fate wants me to live, to thrive! You and your friends, you're useless against my power!"

"No!"

"Yes!" With that, he blasted her with a caliber of magic that she couldn't block, and she screamed in pain as she was thrown through the trunk of a tree. She was so beaten by now that she didn't have enough energy to stand to face him again. "You've lost Sailor Cosmos! You never could have won in the first place." He laughed in her face as he built up magic for one last blow to finish her off.

"Serry! Fight him! You can win!"

"Serry?" She asked, half unconscious. She knew that voice. It was filled with concern, and…love? "Hiiro…" Yes, she would fight, if Hiiro thought she could, then she could and would. She slowly stood again to face Thereon, and just as he hurtled the magic at her, she out stretched her arms and cried out.

"Cosmic Crystal Power!" A blinding light filled the sky and all around them. 

"No!" Cried the senshi as she chose her final attack. She was willing to die once again for her world? No, they couldn't, no…

"No, you can't win! You're just a little girl! I made you! No!" And with his last words, Thereon dropped to his knees, then disintegrated to dust and was blown away by the wind. 

Sailor Moon dropped to the floor on her knees and stared at the spot where Thereon had been only moments ago. Heaving a loud sigh, she looked back to her friends. They stared at the same spot she had been staring at. Then, they focused on her. Suddenly, she was surrounded by the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask, all asking how she was, if she was alright, if she was tired, if she was hurt, and so on. She looked for Hiiro's face in the crowd, but found herself only met with Darien's face.

"Usako? Are you alright? You're so beautiful; I'm so sorry Usako."

"I'm fine, but flattery will get you no where Chiba. Where's Hiiro?"

"But Usako? I love you. We're destined to be together, don't you remember?"

"I remember you dumping me over dreams, being mad at me for being friends with other guys, and being really unsupportive of me when I needed you the most. Hiiro…"

Hiiro watched Serry from the bushes. He saw her transformation give way and reveal her normal self. He watched as her friends crowded her, and how they acted worried for her. He stepped back from the clump of people and saw her look around for something. He was about to say something, but then the man in the stupid tuxedo blocked him out. All he heard was 'Usako' and 'I love you', but that was all it took. He had lost. He knew when he was beat. This man in the black tuxedo, he could say the words that were in his heart, and he couldn't. Hiiro turned and walked off, thinking he would leave Serena alone with her new friends and true love.

"But Usako…"

"No buts Darien, get lost. Anyone see where Hiiro went?"

"Meatball head! You and Darien are destined for each other. You can't just leave him high and dry."

"Sorry Rei, but Darien just wants to be King, and he figures that he might as well get lucky with me while he's at it. No, don't give me that innocent look Darien, it's so obvious that it practically blinded me. I'm not your toy, sorry. As for destiny, if you all want destiny to happen the way we saw it when we were younger, that's fine. But me, I'm making a new destiny for myself. It's time you all woke up. You make destiny, and fate can't decide anything for you. I learned that while I was gone, maybe you need to learn that now."

"But Sere, Crystal Tokyo? Rini? What'll happen to them?" Asked Lita.

"Simple. Nothing, because they'll never happen in the first place."

"Can you do that?" Asked Hotaru.

"I can do anything I want, remember, I make up the rules of the game this time around, not destiny or fate."

"What about Darien?" Asked Michiaru.

"Yeah, what about Darien?" Asked Darien.

"What about him?"

"Don't you love him?" Asked Luna.

"No."

"She's right. If there was anything left between them, I would feel it. But there's nothing, not even a spark. Now, I felt something just before I passed out against the tree, know anything about that Sere?" Now Mina was fully awake and in the action. Serena simply blushed and looked around for Hiiro again.

"He's gone koneko-chan. I already looked for him."

"Where did he go?"

"Who?" Asked pretty much everyone, except for Haruka of course.

"My frie… Hiiro. Where is he?" She wasn't so sure he was just a friend any longer.

"Sere, maybe he went back to his hotel or something." Said Hotaru thoughtfully.

"He's staying with me. And he wouldn't have left with without me. Unless… oh God!" When Serena tried to stand, however, she found her legs were like heavy weights. She was still drained from the fight. Lita and Haruka lifted her and Haruka drove her home. When Serena got to the house, she and the scouts, save Darien, rushed in. Frantic, she looked around the house for Hiiro. 

"Dad, Sammy, have you seen Hiiro?" She asked them when she found them in the family room watching TV. 

"Yeah, he came in about ten minutes ago, then raced out, and shut the door real hard behind him."

"Serena, we need to talk… why are your friends dressed like the Sailor Scouts?"

"Because they are the Sailor Scouts dad. I'm one of them too, I'm Sailor Moon. You said Hiiro ran in, ran out, and slammed the door behind him Sammy?"

"Yeah, and…"

"His laptop is gone! No! God!"

"Koneko-chan, what does his laptop have to do with anything?" 

"He only would have taken it if he wasn't planning on coming back. Christ! Why did he leave me? Oh God!" Serena dropped to her knees for the second time that day and screamed. She just sat there, with all of her friends around her, feeling as empty and alone as she had felt just before she tried to kill herself. He was gone, her Hii-chan was gone. Forever. Tears streamed down her face as she silently wept for her secret lost love.*


	18. Fires of Hell Erupt

Chapter Eighteen: Fires of Hell Erupt

* She sat on the cold ground in the park. The moon was full, yet it was just as dark as if there was no moon at all. Two months, going on three since Hiiro had left her. She wanted to cry. Of course, a lot of things had changed since he had left her. Bulma had figured out a way to email her through the dimensional barriers. Now she and Bulma had made up, and she and Mirai Trunks talked regularly via vid-mail. 

She and her father had had a long 'father/daughter chat'; pending changes in their relationship were taking time, but they were slowly rebuilding the years they had lost. With Sammy, it was a different story. She went to his football games now that the schools had been reinstated; and he took classes at the martial arts school she had opened. 

Yes, a martial arts school. She had needed something to keep herself preoccupied from the loss of Hiiro, so she began a school of self-defense for people of all ages and physical types. People needed to know how to protect themselves, and Serena had needed a way to give back to the community. She liked meeting the people that came in to see her; each was so unique…

Still, with all the things she did with her time, nights were still cold and lonely. She was so lonesome without someone to talk to. Sure, she had her father and her brother, along with Bulma and Trunks, but all of them actually slept during the night. She didn't want to deprive them of their needed sleep, so she often snuck out on her own. Tonight everything was so beautiful. But she couldn't help the tears that ran down her cheeks. 

)(

Hiiro watched the lake with blurred eyes. He hadn't slept in weeks. He couldn't. He missed his Serry so much that it was ripping him apart. Ever since the last battle, he hadn't seen her, and it killed him. Since then, he had managed to get a job as a computer technician. Though he had a decent apartment, got paid well, and had a better life than ever before, he felt something was missing. He knew what that something was, but he refused to think about it. Every time he did, his eyes blurred and his throat choked up. Just like it was doing now.

He heard things about her through the guy Andrew that she had introduced him to their first day in her world. Since then, he and that guy had become something akin to friends. The fact that Andrew knew every little detail about Serry meant little. Ok, so he talked to the guy only to find out about his Serry, but so what? So what if he was still completely infatuated with her. So what if he knew she had a boyfriend already. So what?

It killed him. And now, here he was, nearly three months after leaving, broken and beaten, returning to the place where it had all happened. This damn lake brought back too many memories. Just as he was leaving, he heard someone crying. That voice could only belong to one person. Serry. 'If that Darien hurt her, I swear he will not live to see the next hour.'

Serena turned just as Hiiro walked into the clearing. She gasped that he was actually there, that he wasn't just some figment of her imagination. She quickly wiped hert ears away and tried to speak to him.

"Hii…Hii… Hiiro?" Was all that came out.

"Serena." It stung when he didn't even call her Serry anymore. 

"Hiiro, it is you. Where have you been?"

"Around. Why are you crying? Did that boyfriend Darien of yours hurt you? Did he yell at you? Try something?"

"Hiiro? Boyfriend? What are you talking about?" Suddenly hope surged through her veins. He thought Darien was her boyfriend?

"You know, that pretty boy who calls you Usako. Did he try something with you?"

"No. But apparently he tried something with you."

"Huh?" Now Hiiro was really confused. "If he didn't hurt you, then who did?"

"You." Hiiro did a double take. He hurt her? How? When?

"What?"

"Hiiro, you left me. You left me all alone, without so much as an explanation or a goodbye. Why did you leave?"

"Because I thought you didn't need me anymore, you did have that baka pretty boy."

"I didn't have him. What made you think that?" 

"I heard him call you Usako and then tell you he loved you. I thought you had to go back to him after that, because he could say what I couldn't tell you." 

"If you had stayed long enough to hear the rest, you would have heard me trash him, then break down because you were gone. I locked myself in my room and cried for a week and a half Hiiro Yui! Because you left me! What could he possibly tell me that you couldn't? I thought we told each other everything?"

" I wanted to, but I couldn't."

"Couldn't what? Hiiro, I love you. It hurts that you can't tell me things."

"You love me?" He asked quietly, almost afraid to break the mood of the moment. By this time, she was standing up, her long golden hair let down, and her eyes searching his, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Yes." She whispered. "I love you so much it hurts."

" Serry. I love you too. I wanted to tell you, but I thought that Tux guy…"

"Is history. Hii-chan, you really mean it?"

"Yeah, I do." With that, she took the initiative to step closer and place her lips upon his. Pure love flowed through her veins, followed by warmth and happiness that she had never experienced. She savored the moment, his soft lips putting more and more pressure upon hers until finally they broke for air.

Hiiro was in total bliss. Serena's soft lips and delicate kisses made him light headed and dizzy. He wanted more, so he gently pushed harder, and when she didn't object, he pushed harder still until he needed to breathe. 

"So… where does this leave us?" She asked, her eyes filled with an unreadable expression.

"It leaves us in the park, under the full moon, next to a lake, both very much in love and breathless from being thoroughly kissed." He answered her, his eyes laughing in silence.

"You're evil, you know that?"

"Yeah, but you love me all the more for it, don't you?"

"Yeah. Unlucky me."

"Come on Hii-chan, come back home with me."

" Home?"

"Where you live, silly. You know, with me, and my father, and my brother…"

"I live…"

"Of course, you didn't think I was going to let you leave me again did you? Not a chance."

"You know what angel?"

"What my Perfect Soldier?"

"I love you." With that, he pulled her close and kissed her again, in the park, under the full moon, next to a lake. 

"You know something, Hii-chan?"

"What's that Serry?"

"It's a mad universe out there."

"And I, for one, am glad I found you in the middle of it all."*

End

HONESTLY: ON A SCALE OF 1-10: 1 WORST, 10 BEST, HOW WAS IT & WHY?

So?? Like it? Hate it? Was it better than the original or worse? 


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